Conqueror
by lunarockmewtwo
Summary: Ash Ketchum and Cynthia Carolina, two young trainers ready to take on the world, leave Pallet Town with their starters for a grueling and long journey. Struggles, hardships, and difficulties await them as they press on. Can our Young Protagonists press forward and 'Conquer' the world or will they be 'conquered' instead? Only time may tell!
1. A New Beginning

**Disclaimer: I don't own pokémon.**

Xxx

 **The Beginning!**

Pallet Town.

The town of new beginnings.

The place where trainers could begin their epic tale when they turned ten.

Before beginning our roller coaster of a ride, we'll delve a bit into Pallet Town's history. Pallet Town was, in fact, a part of the vast wilderness of Route 1. When the renowned Professor Oak, who had been a Champion in his prime, decided to settle down and take the first major step as a Professor, he setup his lab quite away from the busy cities, preferring nature instead.

His lab gave birth to the town of Beginnings, Pallet Town. Slowly but steadily, the population increased and soon it became a Town, being named Pallet Town by its inhabitants.

The town in question was a small one, having a population of a few hundred citizens. It was a very friendly town, pollution free and home to dreams and aspirations. It didn't have much attractions, being a source of food for Viridian and Pewter for one and the major other being the Lab.

The Professor's Lab was gigantic. It had a large corral for Pokémon, both trained and wild, with all sorts of environments for different variety of Pokémon. From deep ponds to grassy fields to forests, Oak's Lab had it.

It housed a lot of rare and foreign Pokémon. Pokémon like Dratini, Scyther, and Eevee could be found residing peacefully. For what would they fear? No poacher would dare feel the wrath of Professor Oak's mighty Charizard or Dragonite. Though past their prime, Oak's Pokémon could give even Champion Lance's dragons a run for their money.

In the lab worked our two protagonists, Ash Ketchum and Cynthia Carolina. Let's have a look at their background as well.

Ash Ketchum was a tan skinned aspiring Pokémon trainer, with messy black haired with chocolate brown eyes. He was a very friendly person and really fun to be around with. Ash loved Pokémon to the core, and would be willing to even sacrifice himself when it came to protecting them.

Ash lived with his Mother Delia Ketchum at the Ketchum Residency. His father was a League Member and came to check on his wife and son now and then but didn't stick around for long. We'll talk about him later on in the story.

Coming to the second protagonist of Conqueror, Cynthia Carolina. Cynthia was a pale tall slender girl, having blonde hair reaching her upper back, with sharp grey eyes. She was born in Sinnoh but later shifted to Kanto after her mother, Sophie Carolina, broke up with her husband.

The blonde shared Ash's love for Pokémon, though not to the extremes Ash took it to. When the blonde first arrived to Pallet Town, she was very shy and didn't really fit in with the rest of the kids. But when she and Ash met, things changed very soon.

Ash helped her fit in with the 'Pallet Crew', a group consisting of Leaf Verdant, Gary Oak, and Ash himself. Cynthia found herself hosting quite a few similarities with Ash, sharing his love for Pokémon, fondness for Leaf, and love-hate relationship for Gary. He was also knowledgeable, something Cynthia adored in a person.

Cynthia would tell him about her home region and stark difference it had from Kanto. Ash would, in turn, tell her about Kanto and its myths and lore. They were the same age as well which helped them relate to each other much better.

Our Duo of Protagonists worked at the lab to prepare themselves for the upcoming journey that they would soon embark on. They got to play with the Pokémon at the corral and learn about them as well, something being a win-win for both.

Now, coming to the present, our protagonists had both turned 10 sometime ago and were impatiently waiting for the batch of Pokémon to arrive so they could begin their journey. The batch this time around had been delayed due to some unforeseen reasons unfortunately.

Now, onto the story…

Ash exhaled in relief as he served the last of the food to the Pokémon, getting up and wiping his brow with his sleeve. It was early summer, winter having passed a few weeks ago, yet the heat still got to them sometimes.

"Hey Ash." Cynthia greeted in her Sinnovan accent as they met on the way. "What's the time?"

"Time for us to get back." Ash replied. "Let's get going." Cynthia nodded and two headed towards the lab, conversing on the way. Reaching the lab, they entered and found their mentor, Professor Oak, sorting through some papers.

"Hello Professor." Ash greeted. Professor Oak looked up from the stack of papers and smiled.

"All done with your work?" The duo nodded. "I have some good news for you too." Clearing his throat, Oak continued. "I have been noticing your progress for the past couple of weeks and I've decided," He paused for dramatic effort. "That it's time you two begin your journey."

It took a few seconds for the two to process that. When they did…

"Really?" Ash questioned in surprise. Oak nodded with a smile on his face. "About time!" He exclaimed in excitement. Cynthia was a bit more reserved but the joy was evident on her pale face too.

"All that is left is your test which will be conducted tomorrow." The test Professor Oak implied was a new rule passed by the League. Every year, hundreds of trainers died, either due to hard luck or due to not being prepared.

To prevent the death toll for rising even further, the League passed a rule that before being handed their pokedex, the trainer would have to pass through a written exam which would test their level of preparation. If a trainer failed, they're journey would be postponed until the next examination.

"Be prepared." Professor Samuel Oak told them. "I have no doubt you both will pass with flying colors but just to be safe." He warned. Cynthia narrowed her eyes a bit at that.

"Don't worry about that!" Ash told him determinedly. "I'm born ready." Oak chuckled at the declaration.

"That you are." Oak looked at the stash of papers in front of him. "Well, you are free to go. All the work's done for today?" They nodded. "Be ready tomorrow. You're beginning your own epic tale of adventures. Meet you two on your big day."

"We'll take our leave now." Ash told him. Cynthia waved goodbye and the duo of soon to be trainers left the famous landmark of Pallet Town. "We're about to become trainers Cynthia." Ash told his blonde friend excitedly, his tone indicating that he was having a hard time digesting it.

"Yeah." Cynthia replied absent mindedly, twirling her blonde hair around her finger. Ash noticed that.

"Something on your mind?" Ash questioned. The blonde nodded.

"Is it just me or was Professor Oak putting emphasis on the being prepared part?" The blonde asked. Ash shook his head.

"You overanalyze too much Cynthia. Not everything has a hidden meaning." Ash told her. "And even if he has something planned, I'm pretty sure he trusts us to pass. And we will."

"Confident are we." Cynthia joked. The two aspiring trainers made idle chit chat before reaching the road where their paths would separate. "See you tomorrow Ash." Cynthia told him. Ash nodded.

"You know the not so subtle rivalry we had in any activity we did?" Cynthia nodded, admitting it finally. "Let's settle this rivalry with the test and begin a new one." Ash told her. "The one with more marks wins."

"Sounds good to me." Ash and Cynthia quickly exchanged a handshake. "Be prepared. I don't like easy wins." Ash grinned.

"We'll see tomorrow." The two exchanged goodbyes and walked to their separate paths. Ash thought about the good news and how excited he was to tell Mom about it. The very thought gave him energy and Ash ran forwards, reaching his home.

The Ketchum Residency was a humble, two story house with a back garden. The color scheme was simplistic, just like Delia, Ash's Mom, preferred.

Entering inside, Ash kicked off his shoes and shouted, "Mom! I'm home!" Delia Ketchum, who had been in the TV lounge, got up and embraced her only child in a hug.

Delia Ketchum was a slender vivacious woman. She was in her late twenties, with long auburn hair mostly tied at the end and brown eyes similar to Ash's.

"Ash!" She exclaimed. "Welcome back honey." She smiled warmly, ruffling his black messy hair. "How was the day?" She asked him. Ash excitedly told her about everything eventful that occurred, including the big news of his journey.

"That's great news!" Delia exclaimed. "I can't believe it! My baby boy is going to begin his own journey." She said proudly. "Wait until your dad hears about this."

"Will he be at my big day tomorrow?" Ash asked. Delia shook her head.

"He's very busy." Seeing Ash's bummed out look, she quickly continued. "But I'm sure you'll meet him very soon! Possibly during your journey." Ash's face lit up at the prospect. "Now Ash. I know you're really excited and all but remember everything Professor Oak and I have taught you."

"I will mom." Ash promised. "What's for dinner? I'm tired." Delia let him to the dining table and, after a good night meal, let him retire to his bedroom.

"Goodnight Ashy." Delia told him. "Never doubt yourself and you'll succeed in your dreams. Stay safe, kay."

"Don't worry mom." Ash spoke up with a determined look. "You'll be proud to call me your son one day. Mark it." Delia teasingly tickled the raven-haired boy making him laugh.

"I know Ash." Delia got up from his bed and walked away. On the way, she closed the door but not before whispering. "Good luck Ashy." She then closed the door and the lights in his room.

Ash immediately entered the dream regions after that.

Xxx

Coming to our second protagonist, she was in her room, revising the notes she had made. Dinner had been served and taken.

"Cynthia!" Sophie called out. "Go sleep! Don't want you all lazy and sleepy on your big day!" Cynthia closed her notebook, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"I will mom!" Cynthia replied. "Just revising my notes!" There was an audible sigh from below.

"Just remember to sleep early." She ordered before going to her room to rest. Cynthia stretched tiredly and rolled her neck to get rid of any aches.

She thought about the test tomorrow and Ash. They would finally begin their journeys! That is, if they passed the test. The League didn't make it unnecessarily hard but they didn't leave it as a piece of cake as well.

"Maybe I'm overthinking things." Cynthia muttered as she quickly arranged her notes and placed them into the drawer they belonged to. Getting up to make sure everything was in her bag, Cynthia nodded before yawning.

Quickly untying her hair, she switched off the lights and collapsed on the bed. Snuggling to her blanket, she entered the dream regions as well.

' _I hope that I'm prepared enough.'_ Was her last thought.

Xxx

The sun shone brightly and the chirping of Pidgey and Spearow made Ash stir in his bed. Yawning loudly, Ash stretched and got up, trying to wake up properly. Then he remembered just how important the day was and scrambled around to get ready.

In the case of our blonde, Cynthia was getting ready after taking a shower. She originally wanted to wear the thick hoodie that suited her but settled for a black shirt and fitting black pants with a black belt.

She won't last two days in the wild during Kanto's summer. Maybe she'll use it in winter…

Over the shirt was a black coat with golden outlines. Cynthia brushed her blonde mane carefully as she repeated over everything she had revised last night.

' _Eevee can evolve into eight forms. Flareon, Vaporeon, Jolteon, Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon, and Sylveon.'_ Cynthia thought over. _'The final typing of a Charizard is Fire/Flying. Blastoise remains pure water while Venasaur is a Grass/Poison from the starting.'_

Ash ran downwards, fully prepared in his Kanto Journey clothes. Setting his moderately weighing bag next to his chair, Ash began to eat his food at a slightly fast pace.

"Are you all prepared for the test?" Delia questioned him. Ash nodded. "What's the cure for poisoning?"

"Antidote." Ash quickly answered. "For more severe cases of poisoning, visit the nearest Pokémon Center after applying an Antidote."

"How to know when a Charmander is pushing itself too hard?"

"Check his tail flame." Ash replied. "If it's dim, understand he's tiring. And if its bright, either Blaze has activated or it's really fired up, no pun intended."

"Real reason to become a trainer?"

"To become the best like no one ever was." Ash told her.

"How to treat pokémon?"

"With love and care."

"What to do when you find someone poaching or abusing pokémon?" Ash paused at that question.

"Report the authorities." He answered to delight's Delia. "However, if the scene is too severe in the case of the pokémon possibly dying, intervene." His mom sighed at that.

"Ash." She began. "I know you care a lot about pokémon but I can't let you go on a journey without making sure you're completely prepared. Always report the authorities first and then make your move. Proceed with caution."

"I know mom." Ash said and finished his breakfast. Jumping to his feet, Ash picked his bag. "You coming to the lab?"

"Yeah. I'm coming." She responded. "You go there right now. I have to finish up watering the plants." Ash nodded and, after hugging his mom goodbye, walked out of the Ketchum Residency.

Cynthia quickly checked the time on the clock hung at the wall and found it the time the Professor mentioned. Getting up, she shouldered her backpack and headed for the Oak Laboratory.

' _Venasaur is best to incapacitate the opposing foes with its various status moves while Blastoise is a tank with water capable of cutting through metal. Charizard are known for their ferociousness and the savageness normally found in dragon types. If one wants to hurt you, there are many ways for it to achieve it.'_ Cynthia memorized. _"Scary."_

On the way, she spotted Ash arriving from his own home and waved at him. Ash spotted her and increased his pace to catch up with her. "You ready for the test?"

"Yup." Ash answered. "I don't think it's anything too hard. It'll be a piece of cake." Ash told her.

"Maybe." Cynthia stressed. "Don't you think Professor Oak put emphasis due to a reason?"

"Eh. You think too much!" Ash chided. "Here we are." The two stood outside the entrance to the lab. Quickly climbing up the stairs, they knocked on the door.

"Coming." Came the reply. The duo waited before the door opened. Professor Oak came out, hair a bit ruffled and posture a little tired. "Hello to the soon to be trainers." He chuckled at his own joke.

"Hello professor." Ash greeted. "May we come in?" Professor Oak stepped aside in response and the two walked in. Professor Oak closed the door behind them and quickly signaled one of the researchers in his lab.

"So, all ready for your test?" The Pokémon Authority asked. Ash and Cynthia nodded excitedly. "Good, sit on separate couches on the lobby. I'm bringing your papers there."

The two nodded and headed for the lobby, sitting on different couches. Ash saw Cynthia chewing on her lower lip and couldn't help the smile spreading across his face.

"Nervous?" Ash called out to the blonde. She nodded. "Chillax Cynth. I know you're prepared. You know I'm prepared. Why be worried about the exam? Unless…" Ash gave her a mock arrogant look. "You're worried about losing to me."

"Oh please." Cynthia rolled her eyes. "I'm not even a tiny bit worried about you." She retorted. "Good Luck Ashy-boy. You'll need it."

" _You'll_ the one who'll need it!" Ash retaliated. "And don't call me Ashy-boy. Jeez, you're starting to sound like Gary."

"Don't know whether to take that as a compliment or insult." Cynthia mumbled innocently. Ash raised an eyebrow.

"Bookworm." Cynthia's eye twitched at the nickname.

" _Ashy-boy_." Cynthia spoke up with an irritated accent. Ash grinned, realizing he was under her skin.

"Blondie." Cynthia decided not to engage in a losing argument and wisely didn't reply. Instead, she decided to wait for the test. "Heh." Ash celebrated his victory.

The paper came, halting the conversation, and the duo of aspiring trainers were handed the paper that would either begin their journey or halt it.

"Good Luck." The assistant wished them. "No talking and no cheating. If caught cheating, you're test will be cancelled. You have twenty five minutes, one minute per question. Your time begins now."

Ash and Cynthia began, reading the questions and scribbling down answers as fast as they could.

 **Q: If you fight against an Electric Type and have a Pidgeot and a Rhydon in disposal, who will you send out?**

Ash quickly thought before scribbling down Rhydon given its Ground Typing. This one was easy.

 **Q: Which Pokémon has the most Evolutions? State the evolutions and there typing.**

Ash jotted down Eevee and began to write down all of its evolutions. Hell if he'll ever forget that!

 **Q: If your pokémon is being abused, what is your duty?**

Cynthia chewed on the back of her pencil thoughtfully before imagining herself in such a position. She found her answer immediately. She'll intervene and protect her pokémon with her life.

 **Q: When someone sends out a pokémon nor weak nor strong against your pokémon, what should you do?**

This was a bit hard. If someone did that, they must have some reason. So, she wrote down that she might play safe and substitute her pokémon.

The paper was pretty easy. Nothing especially difficult like Cynthia had thought. Cynthia spared a side glance at Ash and saw him writing away. Not wanting him to finish the paper before her, she continued attempting her questions too.

It took the duo almost 25 minutes to finish but with an extra boost, they finished it simultaneously. Ash put the pen down and looked at Cynthia cockily just to see her having finished the exam as well.

"Done?" The assistant asked. They nodded and handed her the paper that would either allow them to begin their journey or postpone it. Taking it, the assistant gave them a quick read and looked at Ash deadpan.

"Ash. Improve your handwriting." Ash gave her a sheepish smile.

"I'm trying." Cynthia rolled her eyes. Oh, she knew exactly how _much_ Ash was trying.

"I'll go check them." She walked away leaving them alone. Cynthia sighed and slumped on the couch, rolling her neck. "How was it?" She asked Ash.

"Easy! I told you not to worry." Ash grinned.

"I wasn't worrying." Seeing Ash's look, she sighed. "Ok, I admit it. I was overthinking." Ash nodded smugly.

"Why don't you admit that I won as well?" Cynthia gave him a deadpan look.

"Don't count your eggs before they hatch." She warned.

"Whatever." Ash decided to switch subjects. "Anyway, I was wondering if you would like to travel with me. We're both new to travelling and could use someone to cover our backs."

"I was actually planning that from the start." The blonde replied. "Why? You were thinking otherwise?" Ash nodded.

"Thought you'll like to travel alone instead. You know, at your own slow pace and all." Seeing her glare, he relented. "Fine, I thought you'll want to travel alone."

"Nah. I'm okay with travelling with you. It'll be better that way. If it doesn't work out, we can always split later on." Cynthia told him. Ash considered it.

"True." The rest of the time was spent in silence as they waited for the results. Despite not really wanting to think pessimistically, Cynthia chewed her lower lip as she considered the worst case scenarios.

"Calm down blondie." Ash told her, recognizing her body language. The assistant returned by then. Judging by the look on her face, things didn't seem right.

"I've checked your exams." She began. "And I'm…" She sighed. Cynthia felt a sinking feeling erupt inside her while Ash looked at her skeptically.

"Mind continuing?" Ash asked bluntly. She did.

"…I'm pleased to tell you that you have both succeeded with flying colors!" Cynthia exhaled in relief, placing a hand on her rapidly beating heart to placate it while Ash grinned. He had expected that much.

"What are the marks?" The blonde asked curiously.

"Ash Ketchum has scored twenty three out of twenty five. A great score I may say." The assistant told him. Ash smirked. He had expected that much. "Unfortunately for him, Cynthia Carolina has scored twenty four out of twenty five!"

Cynthia couldn't bottle the feeling of excitement in her stomach any longer and punched the air, letting out a whoop of thrill. "I did it!" She jumped to her feet, unable to bottle the excitement any longer.

The assistant and Ash chuckled at her enthusiasm, unable to resist the amused looks on their faces. Ash did feel a bit down about his narrow defeat but couldn't care about it at all. Cynthia's reaction was just as good, if not a bit better.

"Well, well." An aged voice chuckled. Cynthia, Ash, and the assistant turned to see Professor Oak walking in, two pokéballs in hand. "Someone's pretty happy."

Cynthia blushed a crimson red at that while Ash barely muffled his laughter. The blonde shot him an angry scowl which he returned maturely by sticking his tongue out.

"Now." Professor Oak began sternly making them stop. "I wanted to offer you the normal trio of starters but unfortunately the delivery is not to come for a while." The statement drained all excitement out of their system. They had hoped otherwise.

"However," He continued seeing the disappointed look on their faces. "Since you two are so impatient to start your journey, I've brought in a few favors and managed to get two pokémon. One you already know."

"Really?" They asked in sync. Oak nodded.

"Make your choice." He threw the pokéballs and an Eevee alongside a pale yellow colored quadruped fox pokémon materialized. The duo knew a lot about the Eevee, having met her a long time ago, but never saw the other fox until now.

"Who's that?" Cynthia asked curiosity evident in her silver eyes. Despite having interacted with lots of Pokémon at the corral, never had they ever seen one like it.

"That's a Fenniken." Oak elaborated. "A Fire Type that evolves into Braixen and later Delphox which is a Fire/Psychic Type. She's one of the Kalos Starters."

"Oh." Cynthia replied, pursing her lips in thought. Kalos, they had a friend over there too. The blonde decided to hold that thought for later and looked at their choices, both Fenniken and Eevee awaiting their decisions.

"Now, who wants to choose first?" Oak asked. Ash and Cynthia exchanged a look with each other at the question. Cynthia recognized the look in Ash's eyes and gave a slight acknowledgement.

"Ladies First." Ash broke the silence. Cynthia nodded and stepped forwards. Acting like she was analyzing both Eevee and Fenniken, Cynthia paused and inspected the foreign Fire Type closely.

She never had seen a Fenniken. It would be a great opportunity to interact with a foreign Pokémon she had never seen or heard about. Cynthia smiled and extended a hand, one which Fenniken looked at before placing her head on it.

"I Choose Fenniken." Oak nodded while Ash shot Cynthia a grateful look. That was just what he wanted!

"Eevee." Ash spoke up, kneeling before the Normal Type. "I Choose You." Eevee yipped in excitement and jumped in his arms, hugging her new trainer. "We'll be the best duo in this world. You ready?"

Eevee nuzzled her face against Ash's making him chuckle. Cynthia picked up her starter, hugging her lightly and enjoying the heat Fenniken radiated.

"We'll have loads of fun together Fenniken." Cynthia promised. Fenniken nodded and climbed up to her shoulder. Cynthia adjusted to the added weight quickly and stood up carefully, not wanting Fenniken to lose her balance.

"First of all, congratulations at officially becoming Pokémon Trainers!" Oak hollered with pride. Our newest trainers cheered with him. "Now, here are your pokedex and pokéballs."

Six pokéballs and a pokedex was handed to the trainers, Cynthia's being a black with golden outlines to match her favorite color scheme while Ash's was a half white color.

"Let's scan you and see how tough you are." Ash pointed his pokedex to Eevee who curiously looked into the camera.

" **Eevee the Evolution Pokémon. Possessing an unstable genetic makeup, it can evolve into many different forms depending on its environment. This Eevee is Female and has the ability Adaptability. It knows the following moves: Quick Attack, Sand Attack, Shadow Ball, and Detect. Egg Move is Detect which has not been yet unlocked."**

"I'll do it as well." Cynthia murmured and pointed her pokedex towards Fenniken.

" **Fenniken the Fox Pokémon. Eating a twig fills it with energy and it intimidates opponents by puffing hot air out of her ears. This Fenniken is Female and has the ability Blaze. It knows the following moves: Scratch, Hypnosis, Ember and Heat Wave. Heat Wave is Egg Move which has not been unlocked."**

"Those are some moves." Cynthia muttered in slight surprise. Pocketing her pokedex, she turned to see Oak and the assistant. "Thanks for this Professor."

"Yeah." Ash chimed in.

"No need to thank me. You don't know how much you both helped me these past months." He smiled thankfully. "Now go into the world and show them just how strong my students can be. Make Pallet Town proud!"

"We will." Ash vowed. Turning to Cynthia, he spoke, "Let's get going. We have to show our parents-"

"No need!" Ash and Cynthia turned to see Delia Ketchum and Sophie Carolina rushing towards them, pride shining on their faces.

"Hey mom." Cynthia greeted a small smile on her pale face while Ash enveloped his mom in a hug which she returned tightly. Sophie enveloped her daughter in a hug, running her fingers through her golden hair.

"I know we've not always been on good terms," Sophie whispered. "But all I want you to know is that I've always loved you and always will. Go into the world, I won't stop you, but you need make a promise."

Cynthia was confused at that. "What promise mom?" She asked voice a bit muffled since her face was buried in her blouse.

"That you'll never leave me." A tear slid down Sophie's cheek. Cynthia felt her eyes get wet but forced the tears back.

"I promise mom." She spoke. Sophie broke the hug and kissed Cynthia goodbye on the forehead. "And when we meet next time, you'll see your daughter in a new light."

"For me dear, you're always special." With all the goodbyes done, Ash and Cynthia wiped their face of any tears, spilled or not.

"Now my dear students," Oak spoke, voice filled with pride. "Go into the world of pokémon and mark your names in the Hall of Fame!" Ash and Cynthia bid their final goodbyes walked out of the lab, taking the first steps as trainers.

"Don't worry you two," Oak assured them, seeing the worried looks on the Mother's faces. "I've trained them well. If anything, their foes should worry more about crossing paths with the two."

"I hope you're right." Delia replied, holding a clenched fist near her heart. Sophie was in a similar state too.

Xxx

"So," Ash began as they reached the outskirts of Pallet Town. "What are your first thoughts on becoming a trainer?" Ash asked the blonde next to him.

"Mine?" Cynthia inquired. Ash gave an affirmative. "I'm not sure. Let me think." Cynthia answered, face morphed into a thoughtful look.

"Seriously? All this wait and you don't even know how you are feeling?" Ash exclaimed, surprise evident on his face.

"What? I know how I'm feeling. Just don't know how to put it in words!" Cynthia retorted. "It's a lot to take in!" Ash shook his head.

"Some things never change." Ash commented. Cynthia glared at him to which he replied to by whistling innocently. The blonde then looked at her starter who was busy talking with Eevee.

She reached up, scratching behind her ear just like how Eevee liked it. The Fox Pokémon perked at her touch and growled in pleasure. _'All foxes are the same.'_ Cynthia noted. Eevee pawed at Ash's face making him scratch her as well.

"That's one jealous starter you have." Cynthia joked making the Evolution Pokémon pout. She let out a displeased growl at Ash who petted her soothingly.

"So is your Fenniken." Ash shot back. Cynthia looked up to see Fenniken giving her the cute eyes. She couldn't resist and pulled her into a hug.

"I think she may have Baby-Doll Eyes as a move." Cynthia commented. Fenniken blew hot air from her ears at the remark making Cynthia wince as they washed over her. The Fox Pokémon wriggled and jumped out of her hold and growled at Eevee who yipped back and leapt down from Ash's shoulder.

Eevee placed a paw on Fenniken and engaged her in a game of tag. The two foxes began running after the other playfully, Eevee winning due to Quick Attack. "They sure are feisty." Our blonde remarked.

"I second that." Ash answered grinning. The next few minutes were spent in silence before Cynthia smiled mischievously.

"So…" She drawled. "About my victory?"

"Yeah, yeah." Ash grumbled. "Laugh it up." Cynthia did as he asked. "You won by one mark! That's barely winning!"

"A win is a win Ash. You should know that." Cynthia countered teasingly.

"Yeah right." Ash rolled his eyes sarcastically. "What about the one who won the most battle simulations?"

"That doesn't matter!" Cynthia hollered. "The test result does!"

"Oh it does _matter_ , especially when it's more than just one pointer!" Ash pointed out.

"A stupid critical hit doesn't mean anything!" Cynthia argued.

"Better than barely winning." Ash scoffed. The two continued their argument, pulling the attention of their starters who looked at him amusedly about it making Eevee and Fenniken look at them curiously.

Fenniken turned to Eevee and questioned whether they were always like this to which Eevee nodded. The Normal Type exclaimed that it was always amusing to watch them argue. Fenniken looked at the arguing duo and noted that it was indeed amusing.

Fenniken's ears twitched suddenly and she looked around. Eevee gave her a curious look before hearing something as well. The two fox like pokémon exchanged looks and then yipped at their trainers.

Ash stopped her and looked at them in confusion. "Something wrong?" Cynthia questioned. Fenniken nodded.

"What is it?" Ash asked. Eevee suddenly ran away, Ash and Cynthia quickly following her. "Wait up!" Fenniken was hot on her heels, the duo reaching before their trainers.

"You hear that?" Ash asked his partner. Cynthia focused and her eyes widened. That sounded like pained yelps and cries, belonging to a Pokémon.

The reached their spots and paused, staring at the scene in front of them with wide eyes. "Oh no!" Cynthia exclaimed as she saw a flock of Spearow lunging at a yellow small mouse.

"That's a Pichu!" Ash gritted his teeth at the situation. "We need to get him out of there but how? We cannot fend off a complete flock off!" Ash thought of a way to get the electric type out.

"Ember!" Ash looked at Cynthia in surprise as she acted. Fenniken howled and unleashed a ball of fire towards one of the Spearow. It narrowly missed him but gained the entire flock's attention. Ash decided to play according to her.

"Shadow Ball!" Ash ordered Eevee. Eevee jumped and unleashed a purplish ball of ghost energy towards Spearow who quickly moved out of the way. Ash smirked a bit at that. Though Eevee's Shadow Ball wouldn't hurt the ghosts due to their typing, it did scare them a bit. "Quick Attack! Cynthia! Give cover!"

The blonde ordered Fenniken to use Ember as Eevee burst forwards. Fenniken inhaled and spat out Embers, aiming not to hit Eevee. The Evolution Pokémon quickly tackled a few Spearow, pushing them away, and, grabbing the Pichu in her mouth, quickly rushed out from the opposite side.

A few Spearow tried to attack her but the embers struck them, the fire making them focus on Fenniken instead. Eevee quickly made her getaway and skid to a stop in front of the duo. "Get away while you still can." Ash threatened boldly as Eevee reached them, standing in front of them.

The Spearow cawed in response and flew towards them making Ash wince. That went well. Eevee and Ash tensed, waiting for them to approach the four. Cynthia, however, had something entirely planned in her head.

"Ember!" Ash gave Cynthia a flabbergasted look as she threw a bottle of repel towards the Flying Types. Fenniken fired off a couple of Embers hastily, one of them managing to hit the repel.

The bottle exploded violently, a stinking stench that made the Spearow recoil spreading in the air. "Great job!" Ash congratulated, shielding Eevee from the shockwave. The duo saw the birds hesitate, not wanting to fly within the smell.

"That was some quick thinking." Ash praised his blonde friend. Cynthia smiled at that before seeing the avian flapping their wings. "Not good."

"Let's go now!" Ash quickly returned Eevee back to her pokéball and, scooping Pichu up, began to dash from the spot. Cynthia followed him a second later after returning her starter.

The duo could hear the birds shriek and scream, trying to follow them. They simply ran as fast as they could, the surroundings a blur for them. Our trainers didn't know how long they were running or where they were heading, just wanting to lose the angry Spearow.

The two sprinted on for how long theirs legs could carry them before slowing down. Some indefinite time later, they paused and collapsed down on their knees.

"Did we lose them?" A heaving and sweaty Cynthia questioned Ash, her posture slumping as she stared at the direction they ran from. Ash considered it.

"I _think_ we might've left them behind." Ash answered. That depended on how much important they were to the birds. He looked at the beaten Pichu in his arms and took off his bag. Pulling out a potion, he began to spray it over his wounds.

"You could've warned me." Ash told Cynthia while tending to the Electric Mouse.

"Direct approach worked better didn't it?" Cynthia shot back. "What else did you think we should've done?"

"I didn't say that." Ash defended, looking up. "I'm just saying that maybe you could've told me about it or at least signaled me or something before proceeding."

"Oh, sorry about that." Cynthia replied, having the grace to be embarrassed.

"We learn from mistakes." Ash told her, focusing on the mouse again. The Pichu in his lap began to stir and Ash placed him down gently on the grass, pulling back. Sitting on his knees and trying to make himself as short as he can in front of the Pichu, Ash smiled.

The Electric Mouse Pokémon stirred, getting up. Looking around, he spotted Ash and cautiously took a step back. "Hey! No need to get all alarmed or worked up." Ash assured him hurriedly.

Remembering the lessons Professor Oak told him, Ash calmly waited for the Pichu to completely regain his bearings. The small yellow mouse sniffed his extended hand carefully, finally remembering the entire ordeal.

He had been exploring the wild happily when the birds began to bully him. Pichu puffed his cheek as he remembered having lost conscious. These two humans must've saved him.

Pichu looked up at Ash, the mentioned trainer looking at him consolingly. He smiled and, deciding that he trusted him, leaned into his hand. Ash grinned and carefully petted him. Pichu grinned and let out a small spark.

The trainer's body seized up for a moment at the shock and Ash fell on his butt making the Pichu and Cynthia snicker. "I think he likes you." Cynthia remarked between chuckles.

"Same." Ash got up quickly and looked at the Pichu. "So, want to come with me on the path to become the best?" Pichu considered it for a few moments.

Ash let out Eevee to get Pichu more comfortable with him. The Evolution Pokémon walked over to Pichu before nuzzling him. The Electric Mouse Pokémon quickly back stepped, sparking up electricity to make himself look intimidating.

Eevee giggled at his rather cute attempt to scare her and walked forwards. She brushed his face with her tail making the mouse giggle at the ticklish feeling.

"Back." Ash ordered. Eevee walked back, leaving Pichu alone. "So Pichu, want to become my first capture?" Pichu nodded excitedly, jumping up and down.

Ash reached for one of the pokéballs Professor Oak had given him and moved it towards Pichu gently. The baby was tapped on the head and sucked inside the sphere in a flash of red.

The ball touched the grass and wobbled twice before dinging. Ash smirked and picked up the pokéball, looking at it proudly. "My first capture," He glanced at Cynthia. "Before you." He added teasingly.

"I'll get my first capture soon enough." Cynthia retorted. Eevee pawed at Ash's pants and gave him a pleading look. Ash released Pichu and the two began to play.

Cynthia released her starter, Fenniken, as well and she joined in on the games. "Let's take a break now and take lunch. My feet are killing me." She told Ash. Her raven-haired friend nodded and rummaged through his bag.

Pulling out two sandwiches, he handed one to Cynthia who, even after politely trying to decline, took it and kept the other to himself. The blonde quickly served the food for their pokémon in return.

Fenniken, Eevee, and Pichu walked over, eating the food at a leisure pace. Everyone except Pichu, that is. The Electric Type ate at a Tauros's pace and ended up chocking.

Ash quickly opened a water bottle and poured some of it down his throat, careful not to drown him, and Pichu managed to down his stuck food.

"Be careful Pichu." Ash chided. "Eevee, help him please." Eevee was glad to oblige and began to tell him how to properly eat. Ash turned to Cynthia and found her staring off into space, biting into her sandwich. "What's up?"

"Just thinking about the question you asked me earlier." Cynthia answered. "What is my reason to become a trainer?"

"Did you get your answer?" The raven-haired trainer questioned. Cynthia nodded, grey eyes shining.

"My reason is to be the best, not just in battling or performing but in studies as well. I want to know the theoretical view behind everything and not just mark it as nature. What is pokémon? How did it come into existence? What is our life? Who is the creator?" Ash listened on intently as she began to explain her life goal.

"Many other questions linger around my thoughts and I want to find them through battling." Cynthia summarized. "Plus, I don't want to get stuck in a lab for my whole life going through notes and data while others enjoy the outside world."

"You know," Ash began. "You're a lot more mature and fragile than you let on."

"What do you mean?" Cynthia questioned. Ash smirked.

"You didn't show much emotion at first but slowly opened up to me." Ash stated. "Plus, you know a lot more about everything than you let on. You're sharp, smart, and capable of making plans on the fly."

"That's…" Cynthia blinked. "An awful lot of observation."

"You're not the only one to analyze someone before acting." Ash winked. "Besides, I learned that method from the best." He gestured to the blonde.

"Please!" Cynthia drawled. "We both learned from Professor Oak so stop sugaring me!"

"I'm just kidding." Ash chuckled.

"You know, you never mentioned this before." Cynthia told him. Seeing Ash's confused look, she quickly clarified. "That you… observed me so much."

"It's not that hard." Ash shrugged. "Besides, the time didn't seem right to say this, didn't see any reason.

"Oh." She muttered. Ash nodded. The rest of the time was spent in comfortable silence as they rested and ate. After some time, Ash decided it was time to move.

"Let's go shall we?" Cynthia nodded and got up. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she returned Fenniken. Ash did the same with his two pokémon, deciding on scanning Pichu later, and resumed their walk towards Viridian City.

The sun fell and darkness began to spread around, spreading tiredness and a promising sleep to travelers. Naturally, Ash and Cynthia felt just like that.

"I think we should stop." Cynthia voiced her thoughts, tiredness evident in her tone. Ash agreed and spotted a good camping spot a little distance away. The duo quickly reached it and sat on it.

"Today went well." Ash grinned. "Hopefully the rest of the journey goes just like this."

"The chances of that happening are pretty slim." Cynthia sighed while taking off her coat. She pulled out her sleeping bag and spread it on the ground.

"One can dream?" Ash replied. He called out Eevee and Pichu out who were sleepy as well. "Hey guys. Do you want to sleep inside the pokéball or outside?"

Eevee asked Pichu who shook his head and clung to Ash. Ash smiled before his body seized up in another tremor. He looked to see Pichu chuckling with small arcs of electricity bouncing off him.

"Why, you little prankster." Ash growled in annoyance. Eevee yipped in Pichu's defense making Ash sigh. "Not you too Eevee." Cynthia quickly handed him a plate of food. "Thanks."

Cynthia rubbed Fenniken's back with her hand, running her slim fingers in her fur. Fenniken purred at that and happily munched on her food. "I'm calling it a night after finishing." Cynthia informed her travelling partner.

"Me too." Ash spoke. "Walking for a complete day has really tired and burned me out." The nice comfortable breeze of air made Ash's muscles loosen.

Cynthia quickly finished her food and, wiping it with a tissue to make sure it was clean, wrapped it up in a plastic wrapper, and placed it in the food section of the bag.

She and Ash had bags which copied the exact mechanisms of a pokéball to store large quantities of food with much of the weight cancelled. A bit expensive but ideal.

"Good night Ash." Cynthia yawned and slid into her sleeping bag, Fenniken snuggling into it. Cynthia hugged her tight, enjoying the Fire Type's warmth, and began to lightly snore, sleep coming immediately due to the exhaustion of the day.

"Good night." Ash wished back. He opened his sleeping as well and went inside, pulling Eevee and Pichu with him. "Hey guys." He spoke to the sleepy duo. "Do any of you want nicknames?"

Eevee shook her head, declining the thought. She didn't think she wanted one right now while Pichu gave him a confused look. Being in the wild since his birth, he didn't know about the term at all.

"Nicknames means a name that I can call you with. It gives you a separate identity." Ash explained. Pichu nodded immediately at that. "Let me think." Ash thought over. "Bolt?" Pichu shook his head. He wasn't a Steel type! "Thunder? Yellow? Zeus?" Pichu perked his ears up at the last one.

"Zeus?" He nodded vigorously. "Then Zeus it is." The newly nicknamed Pichu cheered before succumbing to sleep. Ash joined him soon after.

Xxx

"According to this," Cynthia read the map on her pokedex. "We are about three days away from Viridian City." Ash looked at her with a questioning look.

"Really? Three days?" Ash asked her with a deadpan look. "No wonder many trainers quit even before their first year."

"The road to success isn't easy." Cynthia chided. "It's filled with hardships, struggles, and sacrifices."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow down there philosopher." Ash gestured her to calm down.

"I'm just stating the obvious." Cynthia grumbled. Ash passed her a grin to clarify he was joking. "How are you enjoying the travel Fenniken?"

Fenniken yipped enthusiastically. She loved it! Cynthia turned to Ash's Eevee and found her playing with Zeus. "She treats him like a younger brother."

"Yeah." Ash nodded. "Zeus's really young and Eevee feels emotionally attached to him."

"When did you name Pichu?" Cynthia asked in surprise.

"Last night." Ash answered. "Now, I'm all for training my pokémon a bit."

"Me too." Cynthia absent mindedly twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "We can fight against a few wild pokémon." She suggested.

"I still haven't scanned Zeus yet." Ash realized. He brought out his pokedex and aimed it towards his first capture.

" **Pichu the Tiny Mouse Pokémon. It is not yet skilled at storing electricity and. Any kind of shock causes it to discharge energy spontaneously. This Pichu is Male and has the ability Static. He knows the following moves: Thunder Shock, Nasty Plot, and Thunder Wave. Egg Move is Volt Tackle which has not been unlocked yet."**

"That's some serious power." Ash blinked. Cynthia besides him looked a little envious.

"He's still young Ash. Imagine how strong he will be once he's fully grown up." Cynthia spoke up. Ash imagined a powerful Raichu standing over formidable foes with his cheeks sparking with electricity.

"That's something." Ash gulped. "So, have you decided on what pokémon to catch?"

"Yeah. I was thinking about one of the Nidoran around. There are many young ones in this season." She looked around in hopes of seeing one.

"I'm pretty sure we'll come across one sooner or later." Ash whistled. "Zeus, are you ready to begin training?" The Electric Type nodded enthusiastically.

"Remember. He's still young." Cynthia chided. Ash sighed in answer.

"I know. If he bites more than he can chew, I'll let Eevee interfere." Cynthia nodded in satisfaction. Ash looked around for an opponent fit for Zeus.

"There!" Ash spotted a lone Pidgey chirping. "Thunder Shock it!" Zeus's fur sparkled before a blast of electricity flew towards the avian. The Pidgey, unaware and caught off-guard, was struck. Shrieking in pain, it dropped to the ground.

"That's some power." Cynthia spoke in a little bit of awe. Ash saw the Pidgey right itself and launch at Zeus in a Quick Attack.

"Thunder Wave to stop it in its tracks!" Zeus gave a growl and another blast left it. Striking Pidgey right in its path, the bird felt its muscles stiffen and couldn't move much at all.

Still, it did collide with Zeus and the two tumbled back. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon accidently let out a discharge which shocked Pidgey further. The damage building up to be too much, Zeus's opponent fainted.

"Great job!" Cynthia cheered. Ash turned his cap behind and threw a pokéball forward. It hit the Pidgey on its head and sucked it in. Cynthia was surprised. Ash wanted to catch another pokémon so soon?

"It was paralyzed and badly harmed. Besides, we can use a Flying Type for Viridian Forest." Ash answered her unasked question. Cynthia nodded in understanding.

The pokéball dinged to signify Ash's second capture. The Palletian happily jumped over to the still sphere and picked it up. "Great job Zeus. Keep it up!"

Zeus chirped happily, panting a little from the electricity it just discharged. Eevee congratulated him which he replied to with a sheepish grin.

"It's my turn now!" Cynthia declared. Fenniken jumped from her shoulder and yipped in turn. "Say Ash. Should I challenge a Spearow?" She asked him jokingly.

"Hell no!" Ash threw his hands up in surrender. "The last time we barely escaped."

"I'm just kidding." Cynthia chuckled, clutching her sides at the look Ash had. It was pure horror. "Hey, do you want to have a battle? One on one?"

Ash finished spraying the Potion over Pidgey and looked at her with a challenging grin. "Why not? Let's mark our new rivalry from here on!" Eevee jumped in front of Ash and yipped challengingly.

Fenniken yipped back, taking a battle posture. "We'll battle when we reach Viridian." Cynthia stopped him suddenly. "Let's not tire ourselves out so fast."

Ash was disappointed but gestured Eevee to stand back. "Your wish." He brought out his pokedex and aimed it at Pidgey.

" **Pidgey, the Tiny Bird Pokémon. Docile, they avoid fights and usually travel in flocks. Common in Kanto more than any other pokémon. This Pidgey is Female and has the ability Keen Eye. She knows the following moves: Tackle, Quick Attack, Gust, and Sand Attack. Egg Move is Sky Attack which is not unlocked yet."**

"That's a nice move set girl." Ash scratched her under the beak. Pidgey cooed in delight. "Don't worry. I'll make you so strong you'll rule the skies. Let's train hard!"

Cynthia chewed her lower lip thoughtfully at how Ash treated her and his pokémon. He wanted to bring the best out of each of them, helping them reach their ambitions while progressing towards his own. He was a true friend. Not many were like him.

"Hello? Earth to Cynthia Carolina!" Cynthia snapped out of her thoughts. "You zoned out for a second."

"That was because I was zoned out!" Cynthia retorted with a roll of her eyes. Ash looked around for more wild pokémon to battle. "What are you planning?"

"Looking for pokémon to battle. Eevee and Pidgey want to battle." Ash told her while his eyes never stopped scanning the area. He spotted a Weedle in the bushes but ignored it. Pidgey could defeat it with ease.

"Can we-" She stopped speaking. In front of them was a pink Nidoran. It was sniffing the ground and seemed to be very hungry. The blonde saw an opportunity to get her first capture. She settled her bag down and pulled out a packet of food.

The blonde placed it a small distance away from them and waited. The Nidoran sniffed the air before finding the food. It made a beeline towards it and, looking around to make sure no one was there, began to munch on it at a fast pace.

Cynthia got an idea. Grabbing an empty pokéball, she opened its mouth and placed a small amount of Pokéchow in it. Then, a few meters away she placed a little amount.

Nidoran was finished with his first helping when he found the second one. Quickly trotting towards it, the Poison Type wiped it from existence. Seeing the pokéball and the food, he walked forward a little slowly and cautiously, sniffing the sphere. Finding it to be harmless, he began to eat the food in it as well.

What he didn't notice was the pokéball activating and hitting him with a red beam, pulling him inside. The pokéball wobbled around before dinging, signifying its capture.

Cynthia did a victory pose, walking over the pokéball and picking it up. "My first capture without any fighting." She beamed happily. "Why fight when you can have a peaceful method instead?"

"True." Ash spoke up. "He seemed pretty hungry. Why don't you scan him?" Cynthia pulled out her black pokedex and aimed it towards the pokéball.

" **Nidoran the Pin Poison Pokémon. It's horn drips powerful poison capable of felling the strongest of enemies. This Nidoran is Male and has the ability Poison Point. He knows the following moves: Tackle, Poison Sting, and Confusion. Note: Confusion is an Egg Move."**

"He knows confusion?" Cynthia mumbled to herself. "How is that even possible?"

"Must be through some complicated parentage chain." Ash made an exaggerating gesture. "For example, my Eevee knows Detect." Eevee perked up at that.

"The real question is can he use it?" Cynthia looked at the pokéball with a thoughtful look.

"Maybe. Your pokedex didn't mention Confusion being locked or unusable currently." Ash pointed out.

"Ash, can you stand back? I want to make this a bonding experience." The blonde told him, clutching the ball and preparing to call her first capture out.

"Sure." Ash walked a few steps away from Cynthia along with all of their pokémon. The blonde crouched down and released her latest capture. The Poison Type's ears twitched before it spotted Cynthia.

Immediately, its horn began to leak potent poison and Cynthia raised her hand to soothe him. "It's okay." She whispered. She put her clenched fist in front of him, opening it to reveal some more Pokéchow. Nidoran growled at her in a threatening way.

Still, it's hunger flared up and the Poison Type began to slowly eat. Sniffing his food first, the Poison Type continued at a slower pace. Cynthia smiled at that.

"Okay. Taming a poison type is harder than it looks." Ash told the Evolution Pokémon on his shoulder given her skeptical look. "One strike and the poison in your body can kill you. Pokémon have more tougher bodies than humans Eevee."

Eevee shrugged and her bushy tail hit Ash across the face. The Kantonian gave an annoyed look before looking at Cynthia and her new teammate.

He managed to overhear what Cynthia was saying. "Use Confusion on that tree over there." Nidoran concentrated. The tree's leaves began to rustle and Cynthia nodded.

Just as she suspected, the ability to use Confusion was diluted. What Nidoran had was a watered down version of it. That couldn't mean she couldn't train him to use his parentage to build a sort of shield against psychic attacks.

"We'll work on it later on." Cynthia assured him. Nidoran nodded and curled up to sleep. Cynthia returned him to his pokéball and found Ash and the others waiting.

"What's up with Confusion? Even if it was a weak attack from the beginning, never was it so weak." Ash frowned. Cynthia explained to Ash her hypothesis on the current statement.

"That's more or less an accurate guess. We can find out more later when we actually begin to work on their moves." The blonde picked up her bag and the group continued their travel to Viridian.

Xxx

"Let's stop now." Ash told the blonde. Cynthia nodded and sat down near a tree, Ash sitting down there as well. The two quickly took off external layers of clothing, mainly being jackets and any hair accessory, and placed them to the side.

"Travelling is a lot harder than it looks." Cynthia's breathing was winded. Even if they stayed in shape at home, never had they walked for an entire day.

"Good call on not battling. Imagine if we had to face a threat and our pokémon were tired." The duo of trainers winced at the imagination. Their pokémon were long in their pokéballs, resting.

Eating dinner and letting the pokémon eat as well, it was approximately half an hour later they decided to sleep. Their pokémon were out, given their heightened senses.

Ash pulled out his pokedex and began to search for moves he can teach Eevee and his other pokémon for the Pewter Gym Leader. Being a Rock Type Leader, it was hard to just defeat him with Normal moves.

"You're not sleeping?" His blonde companion questioned. Ash shook his head.

"Just checking about the Pewter Leader. Maybe any moves or such." Ash told her. Cynthia hummed sleepily.

"We can worry about that later. Sleep for now." She mumbled drowsily. Ash sighed as all the exhaustion caught up to him. "We still need to reach Viridian. Let's plan there."

"Okay Cynthia." Ash snuggled into his sleeping bag closer. "Goodnight Cynth."

"Goodnight Ashy." Cynthia replied back. Ash grinned at the nickname.

Xxx

"Zeus use Thunder Shock. Pidgey dodge it with Quick Attack." Ash ordered. No use wasting time when they could start endurance training.

He had Pidgey continuously fly in the air while Zeus tried to shoot her down. This way, Pidgey's speed and reaction time would prosper while Zeus could gain better control over his electricity and accuracy.

Eevee was running in front of them, firing Shadow Balls now and then at Pidgey. The avian would have to quickly adjust and thus, more reaction time.

Cynthia was going a bit lighter over her Pokémon's training. She wasn't going to be a hardcore battler so there was no need to train so much. She just wanted to spend a few days in leisure before beginning her Pokémon's training.

"We're just a few hours away from Viridian now." Cynthia checked her map. "We'll reach there by late noon probably."

"Finally!" Ash exhaled loudly. "We can still take a break in between the travels. No need to rush it."

"Off course. Few hours or not, better be safe than sorry." Cynthia spoke. She stretched her sore muscles. "Ugh. Only our third day and we're so tired."

"Imagine the condition we will be in once we go through Viridian Forest." Ash immediately cringed at that.

"We'll think of it when we reach it." He waved it off. "Although I'm more worried about Mt. Moon."

"Really? What's in Mt. Moon that isn't in Viridian Forest?" Cynthia questioned while massaging her sore legs.

"We'll be under a mountain in Mt. Moon. I'm not claustrophobic or anything but what is we get crushed. Besides, the entire tunnel is dark and fatality rate is not that low."

"Viridian Forest has a large variety of Bug Pokémon ranging from Beedrill who can make huge holes in our body to Pinsir who can literally squeeze the life out of us. Not to mention the humid temperature. At least Mt. Moon is more bearable."

"Okay. Let's just agree both are difficult to traverse." Ash reconciled. Cynthia nodded and they sealed the deal with a handshake. "You still up for that battle in Viridian you told me about, right?"

"Yeah. Let's reach their first though." Cynthia shrugged. "I'm not getting up for tomorrow that's for sure."

"Me too." Ash winced. The two continued making small chat along the way before deciding to take a break. After that, they continued until the buildings of Viridian could be seen in the distance.

"At last." Cynthia mumbled. "We made it!" She whooped in the air. The two entered the city borders and found it to be bustling with activity as usual.

"Shouldn't people be at work right now?" Ash questioned.

"It's Sunday, doofus. It's an off day." She reminded. _'After all, it's the only day I used to meet my dad.'_ He was a huge businessman in Sinnoh and she only met him on Sundays. After her mother and he broke up, she shifted to Pallet Town with Sophie.

"How about we have our battle now?" Cynthia asked. "Get it out of the way." She suggested.

"Okay then!" Ash smiled. "Let's check in and then battle." His stomach growled suddenly. "But let's eat something before that." He blushed.

Xxx

"I'm feeling tired." Ash whined after having eaten his share of food. Cynthia felt the same too.

"Yeah, but Fenniken really wants to battle Eevee." Cynthia replied. Ash stared at her. "Okay, I'm excited too." She admitted, cheeks glowing a rosy pink. Ash cracked his neck and released Eevee from her pokéball.

"Let's do this!" Ash took his position in the battlefield, Eevee standing in front of him. Cynthia tossed her starter's pokéball, releasing the Fox Pokémon. The two foxes glared at each other, daring the other to make the first move.

"I'll take the first move!" Cynthia decided. "Fenniken! Quick Ember!" Fenniken inhaled and spat the Ember which Eevee dodged easily. The Evolution Pokémon closed in on Fenniken who tensed. "Scratch!"

Fenniken raised her paws, lunging at Eevee and slashing at her. Eevee hit her, knocking her back, and tried to capitalize but Fenniken slashed her back.

"Shadow Ball Eevee!" Ash ordered. Eevee quickly found her footing and formed the sphere. Fenniken formed her Ember per Cynthia's command the two impacted each other, exploding against the other.

Eevee rushed into the smoke, jumping in and tackling her foe back. Fenniken stumbled back with a pained yip, trying to slash Eevee who dodged.

"Fall back!" Cynthia called out. "You cannot win in close quarters! Eevee is too strong!" Fenniken snarled and jumped back, creating some distance between them.

"Close in with Quick Attack! Don't let her get away!" Eevee yipped and sped forwards, rushing in on Fenniken.

"Scratch her again!" Fenniken waited for Eevee to close in and then side stepped, dodging the attack, and slashed at her flank. Eevee gasped at the feel and stumbled forwards. "Ember!"

"Shadow Ball!" Eevee turned around and fired off her blast at the same time Fenniken fired off hers. The two impacted and exploded against the other again.

"Quick Attack!" Fenniken leapt from her position behind the smoke, letting Eevee pass through. She yipped and slashed at Eevee again, cutting at her at the side. Ash gritted his teeth at the genius strategy by Cynthia.

"Ember again!" Cynthia pressed. Ash mentally revised Eevee's moves and nodded.

"Dodge into Sand Attack! Blind her!" Eevee quickly rolled to the side, dodging the blast of fire, and, digging up a paw full of dirt, leapt forwards and shoved them in Fenniken's ears.

Fenniken closed her eyes a bit too late. She let out a pained cry and stumbled back. Eevee grinned and slammed into her with Quick Attack, knocking her to the side.

"Keep it up!" Ash cheered. Cynthia bit her lower lip, trying to find a way around this predicament. Fenniken was hit from all sides, knocked around like a ragdoll.

"Fenniken!" Cynthia let out a worried cry. Fenniken managed to clear her eyes of the sand and glared at Eevee who gave her a cheeky smile. "Ember!" Fenniken opened her mouth and unleashed another blast of fire.

Eevee dodged it with ease and lunged in again. "Hypnosis!" Ash's eyes widened.

"Sand Attack!" As Fenniken focused her hypnotizing powers into her eyes, Fenniken dug up dirt and shoved it in her eyes. Fenniken squealed in alarm and Eevee blasted her point blank with Shadow Ball.

"Fenniken!" Cynthia exclaimed in alarm. Eevee panted, tired a bit from running around so much. Cynthia's starter struggled to get up before falling on her side. The blonde sighed in defeat.

"Great job Eevee!" Ash cheered, pulling her into a hug. Eevee yipped triumphantly. "Good reflex there." Ash said, scratching her behind the ear.

"We almost had you there." Cynthia commented. "How did you know I was about to use Hypnosis?" Ash shook his head.

"Me and Eevee were planning the way to battle a few days before. She brought up Fenniken's Hypnosis and how we can counter it. I came up with Sand Attack." Ash smirked. Cynthia grinned.

"That was a close one though." She remarked. Ash nodded.

"You battled exceptionally well there." He commented. "Despite Eevee having an advantage in a physical fight, you managed to keep it even. Kudos." Cynthia blushed a bit, twirling a strand of blonde hair around her finger.

"I had some strategies thought out too." She smiled. "Hypnosis was my last resort. But you managed to beat it too." Cynthia saw Fenniken stir. "Well, Fenniken would like a round to Nurse Joy and I need to rest too."

"Sure. I'm going to hit the hay as well." The two walked inside the Pokémon Center, done for the day.

A new day, a new set of opportunities.

The Journey has officially begun! Ash Ketchum and Cynthia Carolina, two rookies from Pallet Town, take on the world! Will they succeed in their endeavors and _conquer_ or will they be _conquered_ instead?

Only time may tell…

Xxx

 **Thanks for reading! Please Review!**


	2. Viridian Forest

**Disclaimer: I don't own pokémon.**

Xxx

 **Viridian Forest!**

"Quick Attack!" Ash ordered. Eevee dashed forwards at high speeds toward Pidgey who darted above to dodge it. "Spin around and Shadow Ball!"

He was a little bit confused at how Eevee was able to hit a Normal Type with a Ghost Type move, Shadow Ball. As far as he knew about Type Immunities, Normal Type Pokémon couldn't get damaged from Ghost Type attacks and vice versa.

He also looked at Eevee's Shadow Ball closely and found it to be a bit… _different_ from the Shadow Ball animation in his pokedex. What that slight difference was he didn't know.

Pidgey began to swerve left and right to avoid the balls, trying to find a moment to exploit. Eevee continued to change her pattern of Shadow Balls, not falling into a continuous cycle.

Zeus discharged a blast of electricity towards Pidgey who was unable to dodge in time and got struck. She winced in pain and was incapable of evading the Shadow Balls that struck her.

Zeus was getting a bit better at charging and discharging electricity in a focused manner. Ash wanted to teach Zeus Thunderbolt, a move that was both damaging while not costing much energy. However, he also wanted him to learn Discharge.

Discharge required a lot more electricity than Thunderbolt but the area spread was bigger. Zeus could use it to pin speedy targets and finish them up.

One more reason Ash was having Zeus work on his electricity was because he wanted him to learn Volt Tackle. It was a move only capable of being used by the Pichu evolutionary line only because the baby form, being Pichu, had an extra electricity producing organ.

If Zeus could get used to building charges without its help and hold them on himself enough, Ash was sure Zeus could master Volt Tackle by the time he was close to evolving into a Raichu. Zeus had a lot of untapped potential he wanted to exploit.

Ash looked to the side and found Cynthia practicing on different strategies with her Fenniken. Her starter was focusing on making the Ember more deadly while Nidoran tried to control the small flames with Confusion.

What the blonde hoped to achieve was that Fenniken might be able to pick up Psychic Attacks prior to evolution. When she evolved into Braixen, she would have an added Psychic Typing. The blonde thought that if Fenniken was exploited to Psychic Energy, she might just pick up how to utilize it.

"How's it going?" Ash questioned his partner. Cynthia looked away from her training and found Ash walking towards her.

"It's going great so far. Fenniken's flames are growing hotter bit by bit while Nidoran's Psychic Abilities are pushed to their max levels." She replied.

"You really sure Fenniken might be able to use Psychic Attacks before evolution?" Ash asked skeptically. It was unheard of.

"Yeah. It's just a theory I have. Besides, it's not costing anything so why shy away from an opportunity." Cynthia shrugged. "If Fenniken already has a grip on her Psychic aspect, she would benefit from evolving later. A pokémon has best control over its natural typing."

"Fenniken are odd pokémon." Ash commented, looking at the Kalosian starter. "I haven't heard of any pokémon that evolves and then gains a Psychic Type. If your theory is correct…"

"Then I may be able to get accepted as a Field Researcher!" The blonde cheered happily. "The youngest trainee to get accepted as a researcher!" She gushed dreamily.

"Focus Pidgey!" Ash chided as the avian was struck again by another Thunder Shock. "What about your theory on Eevee's Shadow Ball?"

"I don't have a solid one per say," She bit her bottom lip thoughtfully. "But maybe-" She was interrupted as Fenniken unleashed a larger Ember from her maw.

It struck the ground and exploded violently. "That was Flame Burst!" Cynthia exclaimed happily. "Great job!" Fenniken was panting but looked proud. She managed to pull that off! "Keep on working now! Nidoran, try to keep the Flame Burst from exploding!"

The duo nodded and began to practice the new commands. Cynthia looked back at Ash. "You were saying?"

"Yeah." Ash cleared his throat. "Your theory on Shadow Ball."

"You know how Pokémon deal more damage if they use a move belonging to their typing?" Ash nodded. "Eevee is a Normal Type yet she can use Shadow Ball, a Ghost Type move. A move of the type she's immune. Eevee shouldn't even be able to feel the energy for it."

"Yet Eevee can. Also, Eevee can evolve into various forms depending on their surroundings. They can change types as well." Cynthia stopped at that and got a thoughtful look. "All of these point towards a theory but I'm not sure."

"We should ask Professor Oak more about it." Ash sighed. "He may have an answer."

"You should." Cynthia stretched. "I'm feeling tired." She subconsciously adjusted her bangs.

"Go eat something. I'll look over the training." Cynthia brightened up at that and walked into the Pokémon Center.

Eevee unleashed another Shadow Ball and it narrowly missed Pidgey. Zeus unleashed a Thunder Shock yet the avian dodged it as well. Ash smiled. Pidgey was getting better at evasion. Now it was time for offense.

"Now! Eevee, you try to dodge Zeus's and Pidgey's attacks." Eevee yipped and had to jump out of Pidgey's Quick Attack. Zeus fired off a Thunder Wave from which she barely avoided.

She then winced as Pidgey came back for another Quick Attack, striking her and throwing her forwards. Ash involuntarily flinched as Zeus unleashed a Thunder Shock at the vulnerable Evolution Pokémon.

"Eevee! You can counterattack as well!" Eevee yipped brightly at that. Now he was talking! Immediately, she fired a Shadow Ball that blocked the Thunder Wave and whipped up sand around her. Pidgey had to cancel her strike due to the Sand Attack and Eevee managed to get away on safer grounds.

"That's some potential she has." Ash looked up and saw a tanned man in an orange suit and red tie overlooking the training. "Going toe to toe with two pokémon at once."

"Um… Hello?" Ash tried. The man snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at the trainer.

"Oh, where are my manners." He chided himself. "My name is Giovanni. I'm the Gym Leader of Viridian City." Ash's eyes widened at that. Giovanni, the final test trainers had to clear once they obtained all the other badges.

"My name is Ash Ketchum. I'm on a road to become the very best!" He could have sworn he saw a brief flicker of emotions into the man's usually stoic eyes.

"You will succeed in your dreams kid." Giovanni looked at Eevee, cornered from the repeated strikes from Zeus and Pidgey. "Just don't lose focus of your dreams. Many have failed simply due to that."

"Thanks?" Ash tried. He wasn't used to such philosophical wordings.

"You'll learn kid, you'll learn." Giovanni chuckled. "I believe we'll meet again. Until then." Giovanni walked away leaving a thoroughly confused Ash behind.

"What's up?" Cynthia questioned. Ash snapped out of his thoughts and found Cynthia looking at him strangely, biting a vegetable sandwich.

"Nothing." The raven-haired trainer replied. "Just thinking about something."

"I think that's enough training for one day." Ash nodded and called off his pokémon. Eevee, Pidgey, and Zeus formed up around him. Fenniken and Nidoran also walked over to Cynthia.

"You guys did great! Keep that up and you'll be the strongest in no time!" His pokémon cheered happily at that. "Pidgey, I've already asked Eevee and Zeus about having a nickname. Eevee wasn't concerned for now but Zeus wanted one. So, do you want a nickname?"

Pidgey cocked her head questioningly. A nickname? Seeing her confusion, Cynthia decided to clarify. "A nickname is a name that gives you your own personal identity. For example, if you like to be called Pidgey, you cannot stand out in their flocks but if you have a nickname, you can."

Pidgey nodded happily at that! The trainers chuckled at her reaction and Ash thought one up. "Pidgey, since you will be the Ruler of Skies, I have one particular name for you." Pidgey gestured him to hurry up. "Skylar."

Pidgey considered it before nodding happily. Ash smiled. "Then Skylar it is." The newly nicknamed Skylar flew up to Ash's shoulder and nipped at his ear playfully.

"What about you Eevee? You don't want a nickname?" Cynthia asked, crouching next to her. The Evolution Pokémon considered it. Both of her friends already had one, so why shouldn't she?

Eevee nodded. "Okay Eevee, I'll think one for you and then I'll name you." Ash's starter nodded, satisfied with that. "What's the plan now?" Ash asked returning his pokémon.

"Well," Cynthia bit her lower lip thoughtfully as her duo were returned as well. "We have to refuel whatever supplies we used and cross the Viridian Forest as well. I suggest we leave tomorrow morning."

"I'm feeling tired anyway." Ash stretched. "C'mon then, let's move." Ash and Cynthia walked into the pokémon center and, handing the Nurse at the desk their pokéballs, walked out.

"What do we need though?" Ash asked the blonde. "Do you have a list?"

"I have a rough idea." Cynthia answered. "A few extra pokéballs, something to eat and drink, and some repels."

"C'mon. The pokémon market is just around the corner." Ash and Cynthia walked over to the market and entered it.

"Hello dear!" The lady at the desk spoke up. "How can I help you?"

"We were looking for some pokéballs, a few repels, and something to eat and water." The lady nodded and began to bring out the items.

"Do you have any Net Balls?" Cynthia questioned. The lady thought about it before nodding.

"How many do you want?" The two trainers exchanged glances with each other.

"Six please." Three for each. "Also, reduce the normal Pokéballs from six to four." The Lady nodded and, after sorting everything, looked at them.

"Anything else?" When the two shook their heads, she began to start billing. "1710 pokédollars please." Ash and Cynthia brought out their money and divided the cost.

Handing over the bills, they grabbed their bought supplies and left the market. "That was a steep price." Ash commented.

"Yeah but important as well. No one's ever regretted buying repels and the Net Balls are useful to capture strong Bug Types." Cynthia reprimanded.

"That's true." Ash admitted. "But it also dug a hole in our cash deposits." Cynthia frowned at that.

"We'll recover them soon enough." Cynthia sighed. "What's the plan now? Leaving for Viridian?"

"Tomorrow. Our pokémon are all tired from training so much." Ash replied. "I want to sightsee more of Viridian."

"There's not much here except the Gym. And he only accepts trainers with seven badges to enter unless they're exceptionally strong." Cynthia told him.

"I don't know." Ash mumbled, remembering about his brief encounter with the Gym Leader. "We'll just train a little more then. Remember, the Gym Leader of Pewter is a Rock Type gym."

"We already thought of a way around it." Cynthia reminded. "Eevee can learn Iron Tail and Skylar can use Steel Wing. It's a two on two so you shouldn't worry about sending Zeus in anyway."

"What about you?" Ash asked. "How do you plan to defeat him?"

"I have a strategy in mind for him. Nidoran can learn Double Kick which can be used to defeat his Geodude. About his Onix though, I have my doubts." Cynthia bit her lip thoughtfully. "I'll figure something out."

"Let's plan a route through Viridian Forest." Ash planned. "If we do that, we'll be able to reach Pewter without much trouble."

"Sure." Cynthia shrugged. "It's not like we have anything else in mind to do right now." With that, the duo of trainers walked back to the pokémon center to plan and train further.

Xxx

Viridian Forest, the first test trainers had to go through before they would challenge the first gym leader, Brock of Pewter. Fearsome and imposing as it is, it was safe to say Viridian scared many travelers away.

"Here we go." Ash sighed, looking at the entrance. It was early in the morning, the sun just rising. "Ready to rock?" Ash questioned the blonde besides him.

"Always." Ash released Skylar and Eevee to guard them while Cynthia released her Fenniken. The group of trainers and pokémon entered the forest.

The forest was oddly lively despite the early hour. Many bug types such as Caterpie, Weedle, and the odd Pinsir roamed around, going about their daily business.

"Bug Types are mostly nocturnal." Cynthia reminded Ash. "This is why it is so lively."

"Right." Ash nodded. "Are we on the path?" Cynthia nodded.

"I've memorized it. Besides, we have backup in the form of Skylar." The avian chirped proudly upon her name. They could rely on her!

The first couple of hours in the forest were lively and stress free which the trainers greatly appreciated. It was when the sun was fully above the horizon did the activity increase.

"Whoa." Ash said as a swarm of Beedrill crossed their paths. Ash and Cynthia wisely ducked out of their way, letting them pass. "You were saying?" Ash pointedly asked the blonde.

"Hey!" She complained. "Kanto has more diurnal pokémon than nocturnal you know." She defended herself. Ash ended the argument there, not in the mood.

Eevee suddenly pawed Ash in the face. The Kantonian followed her gaze and found a horde of Beedrill rushing towards them. "What the hell?!" Ash exclaimed.

"Fenniken! Ember!" Cynthia threw a bottle of repel. Fenniken's flames touched the bottle and it exploded violently. The Beedrill stopped dead in their tracks and began to buzz angrily.

Ash and Cynthia looked around and found more and more Beedrill rise and a few white flashes. "Oh no." Cynthia cursed. "We walked right into their territory."

"And attracted more attention by the repel." Ash grimaced. "Now what? We're surrounded!" Ash complained. He called Zeus out as well, the Pichu sparking his cheeks threateningly.

"We fight." Cynthia declared. Nidoran was out in instant, venom dripping from his horn.

"In their breeding grounds?" Ash questioned disbelievingly. "I have a better idea."

"And what is it?" Cynthia asked as the smell of the repel began to waver.

"The path continues in the north, right?" Ash questioned. "On my command, tell Fenniken to unleash a Flame Burst at the north position. We will carve a path and run from there."

"Okay then." Cynthia returned Nidoran back. He wouldn't be of any use against Beedrill anyway. "Fenniken, prepare yourself." The two waited for Ash's command.

"Now!" Fenniken unleashed a Flame Burst that instant. Zeus joined in with his Thunder Shock and Eevee helped with Shadow Ball. The trio of attacks exploded against the Beedrill blocking their north and blew them away. "C'mon!"

Ash and Cynthia dashed from their position at high speeds, the Beedrill at their tail. Skylar slowed down, weaving between the Beedrill and tackling a few away with her Quick Attack.

"Skylar!" Ash called out as his avian began to engage the bugs. The Pidgey perked up at his voice and unleashed a Gust that blew the Beedrill back before using Quick Attack to catch up to Ash.

"Take this!" Cynthia threw another repel, Fenniken blasting it with her flames. Skylar used Gust to spread it further and the Beedrill began to lose grounds.

The duo of trainers ran at high speeds further down the path until their legs gave way. Dropping to the ground, the two panted like mad dogs. Skylar landed in front of Ash, giving him a smug smile.

"That was a lot of bravery and foolishness Skylar." Ash chided. "The Beedrill would've easily killed with you with their poison and mass numbers."

Skylar chirped back defensively. She'd never back down from a challenge no matter what the cost. Ash sighed and scratched her chin consolingly.

"I know you're proud of yourself, I am as well." Ash began in a soothing voice. "But don't bite more than you can chew. Okay?" Skylar nodded.

"Um… Ash?" Cynthia called out. Ash looked up from his avian towards the blonde. "We're not out of the woods yet, literally." Ash followed her gaze and gulped.

Closing in on them was another swarm of Beedrill, stingers pointed towards them. Ash and Cynthia got up, thinking over their situation carefully.

"Fighting them is suicide." Ash mumbled.

"But we cannot outrun them as well." Cynthia added. "We're stuck here." The duo stood, back to back as their pokémon formed up around them.

The Beedrill formed around them, buzzing threateningly but not making a move either. Ash and Cynthia were tense, mind skimming through many ideas but none getting confirmed.

"Thunderbolt Jolteon!" A sharp blast of lightning flew into the horde of Beedrill surrounding Ash and Cynthia, cutting through their density and blasting them away.

Eevee, Fenniken, Zeus, and Skylar all began their assaults as well, taking down the remaining Beedrill with their combined might. The Beedrill, sensing the change in odds, began to flee from the spot.

The duo of trainers sighed in relief, body posture relaxing. "Are you two okay?" Both of them turned to see an athletic beautiful brunette walking towards them worriedly.

"No. We're fine." Cynthia answered. The brunette crouched down next to Jolteon and ran a finger through its fur, not even wincing at the arcs of weak electricity coursing through its fur.

"Who're you?" Ash asked. The girl looked up, sapphire eyes shining with amusement.

"My name is May. May Maple." The girl replied. "Your turn now." She smirked.

"Oh. My name is Ash Ketchum." Ash introduced himself.

"My name is Cynthia Carolina." Cynthia chimed in. "Thanks for the help May. We would've been dead if it wasn't for you." May giggled at that.

"Glad I could help." May replied. "Are you passing through Viridian Forest?"

"Yeah." Ash nodded.

"Mind if I tag along till we get to Pewter?" May asked. "I am a little new to Kanto and don't know the exact route that leads to Pewter."

"Sure." Cynthia beat Ash to the punch. "You don't seem like a new trainer to me though."

"Yeah. It is my second year of travelling." May answered while running a hand through her long silky brunette hair. "What about you two? You seem inexperienced."

"That's because we are." Ash retorted. "It's our first month of travelling."

"Oh. Congratulations on turning ten." May smiled. "It's like yesterday to me. The day I started my pokémon journey as well." She shook her head to get rid of the nostalgia. "We should get going."

Ash and Cynthia returned their pokémon and began to follow the brunette. Ash looked around, finding the forest awfully quiet around these parts.

' _Must be because of the Beedrill.'_ Ash thought bitterly. He heard May and Cynthia make idle chat and smiled when Cynthia began to explain her goals.

"That's a great profession Cynthia." May smiled. "Not many pursue being a professor. And those who do end up studying books in labs."

"I prefer to experience the world and find out its wonders this way." The blonde elaborated. May turned her head towards Ash who was just behind them.

"What about you Ash?" May questioned. "What's your goal?"

"My goal is to become the very best." Ash answered. May looked at him with a calculating look.

"I get Pewter will be your first Gym Battle." The duo of fresh trainers nodded. "Once you have all eight badges, let's meet in the Indigo League." She asked the two seriously.

"Sure." Ash vowed.

"Same here." Cynthia nodded. May's stern look softened.

"Let's stop here. You must be tired from walking so much." May spotted a good camping location and walked there. Ash and Cynthia sat on the ground, allowing their aching legs a moment to rest.

"Everyone, come on out." Ash released all of his pokémon. Cynthia did the same and so did May.

"Whoa." Cynthia gasped as she looked over May's team. Ash followed her look and was awestruck as well.

"Impressed?" May questioned with a chuckle.

"Impressed is an understatement." Ash muttered. May's team was well made and carefully balanced.

She had an elegant Gardevoir, a perfect combination of deadly and beautiful. Besides her was a Ninetails, fur gleaming from flawless grooming.

May's Jolteon sat around her, taking a nap and appearing unthreatening. However, after seeing what it was capable of, Ash wouldn't sell it off as weak.

Then came a strange humanoid like red pokémon who looked like a cross between a chicken and a boxer. Ash realized it must be one of the starters of wherever May was from.

Then came a hyena based grey and black pokémon with sharp canines, growling at Fenniken and Skylar aggressively. A warning hand from May made it walk away though.

The last pokémon was a moth-like Pokémon with two pairs of wings and a purple egg-shaped body. It was perched comfortably on the branch of a tree, fitting into the environment perfectly.

The only reason Ash knew about Gardevoir was due to Gary's older sister, Daisy Oak, also had a Gardevoir. The rest of the pokémon he didn't have a clue about.

"You already know about Jolteon and Ninetails right?" May asked. Ash and Cynthia nodded. "That is Blaziken, my starter." She pointed at the chicken fighter. "That is Mightyena, Dustox, and Gardevoir."

"You have a great team May." Cynthia commented.

"Yeah. That Mightyena looks really scary." Ash added with a shiver.

"Oh he's a real softy." May chuckled. "Just putting that big bad attitude for a first impression." Mightyena whined making the brunette chuckle.

"How far is Pewter from here?" May asked the duo.

"About a week's walk from here." Cynthia told her after briefly checking her map. The blonde spotted Ash looking at her expectantly and quirked an eyebrow.

The Kantonian replied with a pleading look making her exhale. "Can we get some pointers from you May?" The blonde asked.

"Pointers? On what?" May asked.

"Well," Ash began hesitantly. "I want to ask how to make Zeus hold more electricity in charge. Also, Skylar might want an aerial battle against your Dustox."

"And I need some tips on how to train Fenniken more efficiently. Given you have a Ninetails; maybe you have something to help us with." Cynthia carried on.

"Oh." May realized. "I'm not that strong or anything. Really." May spoke up, Ash's and Cynthia's face falling just as she said that. "I'm like you guys, just a little ahead."

"You can still fight against me? Right?" Ash pressed on. He wouldn't miss this moment at all.

"Yeah, sure." May nodded. "Dustox!" The Bug Type fluttered over to her, sitting on her outstretched arm. "We have a battle to do. Ready?" The brunette questioned Ash.

"As ready as I can be." Ash smiled. Skylar squawked challengingly and flew in front of Ash, spreading her wings in an intimidating gesture.

"Dustox, battle at your own terms." May stepped back. "Ash, do you know the proper battling style of her?" Ash thought about it. He hadn't fought at all with Skylar so the accurate guess was no.

"I have trained with her recently but no real battles as of yet." Ash answered. "What are you suggesting?"

"See how she fights." May advised him simply. "Analyze her fighting style and try to incorporate it into yours."

"Oh." Ash blinked. "Okay." He stepped back. "Skylar, fight this like you want to. I won't intervene." Skylar nodded enthusiastically. That bug was going down!

"Okay then. Begin." May sat down on the grass, gesturing Ash to do so as well. The two pokémon began their fight. Skylar sped forwards in a Quick Attack who Dustox easily evaded.

Skylar quickly made a sharp u turn, coming back for a properly executed Steel Wing. Dustox dodged it as well, diving down and letting her pass over. Ash bit his lip as the evasion tactics continued for a while.

"Do you understand Ash?" May questioned.

"Dustox is trying to exhaust Skylar before fighting back." Ash told her. "Skylar has an all offense style. Using her speed and power."

"There's more to that." May chuckled.

"What?" Ash questioned but May didn't reply. Ash looked at the silent dance May and Skylar were going through, one trying to land a strike while the other flawlessly moved around.

Skylar changed tactics suddenly, diving down just as Dustox evaded her. She struck her with a glancing Quick Attack and Dustox floated a little down.

Dustox made a strange sound and three blasts of acidic poison flew towards Skylar. The avian squawked at the sudden offensive attacks and was unable to dodge.

Dustox flapped her wings and a shining silver powder was shed, dropping over Skylar and weighing her down. Ash's mouth was hung open as the Sleeping Powder slowed Skylar down enough for Dustox to land the final blow.

Skylar dropped in front of Ash, unconscious and badly beaten. Dustox fluttered over back to May, landing on her shoulder. "See?" May questioned. Seeing Ash's confused look, she began to elaborate when Cynthia chimed in.

"Skylar might have a full offense style but she also uses strategies." She began. "She doesn't have a complete offense style, she prefers using attacks over strategies."

"That's her downfall." May carried down. "This style is old and very predictable. She can fall victim to any experienced battler who has dealt with these moves."

"What do I need to do then?" Ash asked her. "How am I supposed to adapt my style according to hers if it is faulty?"

"That's up to you to figure out." May chuckled. "However, I'll lend you a single tip." She was amused at the eager look on Ash's face. "Skylar doesn't mind strategies. Try to adjust her fighting style just a little and you have a dangerous pokémon in your hands."

"I'll think about it." Ash said as he began to treat Skylar. "One more question." May looked at him. "What was that move Dustox used in the end?"

"That is her signature ending move." May smiled. "It's a combination of Acrobatics and Aerial Ace. Confusing, deadly, and swift at the same time."

"Can Skylar learn Acrobatics?" Ash asked.

"Yeah. I don't see any reason why not." May shrugged. "Cynthia, I don't know how Fenniken can make her flames hotter. Sorry." She answered her with an apologetic look. "You should ask someone more experienced than me."

"No problem." Cynthia said, hiding the little disappointment in her voice. The brunette turned to Ash.

"About your Pichu, I suggest you make him expend as much electricity you can in a focused strike while training. Then, let him restore it in short periods and hold it inside him. When he cannot store anymore, let him unleash it in a focused move. Increase the quantity stored and expended each time." May told the Kantonian. "Anything else?"

Seeing no question forthcoming, she finally relaxed.

Xxx

"Quick Attack!" Skylar moved around Dustox, trying to approach her from behind. Dustox moved up however. "Up!" Skylar did as he directed but Dustox dodged it as well.

"C'mon Ash!" May called out to him, one hand resting on her hip while the other dangled at her side. "Try to predict Dustox's movements!" Cynthia practiced on her own, Nidoran trying to learn Double Kick while Fenniken was comparing her flames to Ninetails and Blaziken.

Zeus was doing the exercise May told Ash and Eevee was trying to master Iron Tail. She could execute it with a little bit of concentration which _might_ not be provided during a battle.

Ash's eyes narrowed as he tried to see a pattern in Dustox's movements. She moved left, up, down, again left and then right. There was no correct pattern to her! She was unpredictable!

"Finally catching up?" May asked with a smirk. Ash smirked back.

"Gust!" Skylar zoomed just past Dustox and quickly braked herself. Beating her tiny wings, she began to execute the attack.

"Too slow!" May taunted as Dustox Aerial Aced through the Gust into Skylar's midsection. "Dustox! Use Psybeam!" Dustox fired a multicolored beam into Skylar and buried her into the ground.

"Damn!" Ash cursed as the dust settled and Skylar was unconscious. Dustox landed back on May's shoulder calmly, looking at the downed Pidgey.

"You catch up on things quickly Ash but you need to be more sharp and cunning." May told him with a stern look. "You need a lot of preparation if you plan to go against Brock with these skillsets."

The truth stung but Ash knew it was the truth. He crouched down next to Skylar and began to tend to her. May walked over to him, face set up consolingly.

"You'll learn when the time comes." She told him, crouching next to the Kantonian. "You now know what to do. Try to implement it in your strategies."

"What? Being unpredictable?" Ash asked. May nodded.

"Not all of your pokémon will benefit from it, some might even have drawbacks. But remember, everyone has their own style. Skylar's require being unpredictable. Try to make a separate style for all of them."

"I will. Thanks." Ash passed May a small smile.

"Now c'mon, it's time for lunch." She gestured him over. Ash walked over to her, Skylar now recovering from her bruises, only a bit tired. In the middle of eating, Cynthia told the two something.

"We're about to reach Pewter City by tomorrow evening." She began. "Also, there will be trainer battles to manage. So, be prepared."

"You two need the most experience." May spoke up. "I have enough experience to last against Brock while it's obvious you both have a long way to go." She stopped when the two stared at her. "I'm not saying I'm perfect than any of you. Don't get me wrong."

"She has a point." Ash pointed out. "I still have to adjust to Skylar's new battling style and you have to train Nidoran to use Double Kick." He turned to May. "You will continue travelling with us after Pewter. Right May?"

"I've been thinking about it." May admitted. "But then I realized that we would be travelling at different paces. I won't need to train as much as you two. Besides, you need the full experience of travelling."

"We understand." Cynthia spoke up.

"However," May cut in. "I will accompany you till Cerulean City." Seeing their confused look, she continued. "Mt. Moon is a dangerous place to travel through. You'll be safer with me."

"Won't we be slowing you down?" Ash asked uncertainly.

"It doesn't matter." May chimed. "I can catch up on a few days of delay easily. Your safety matters more to me."

"Thanks May." Ash smiled. "We appreciate it."

"By the way, I almost forgot." She looked at Ash happily. "Skylar and Zeus are close to evolving. Skylar will evolve once she gets the push and Zeus will after he manages to gather enough electricity without using his separate organ. Then you can really begin working on Volt Tackle."

"Alright!" Ash cheered.

"Nidoran might take some time." May told Cynthia. "You'll notice it when his poison begins to get a lot more potent. His size will grow larger and he will become more edgy day by day. It's a really delicate period for him."

"I'll be careful." Cynthia smiled. "So, do you think we are ready for Brock?"

"Hell no." May said without missing a moment. "You may beat him with a little bit of luck but better be safe than sorry. We can extend our stay in Viridian for a few days. I'll supervise your training against the Wild Pokémon and the trainers."

"Sure." Ash said, more used to May's bluntness by now. May made it clear she would be giving her honest opinion and not sugarcoating anything.

"I think Skylar can begin working on Aerial Ace once she evolves which might be as soon as today. I'll give you the basic rundowns on Acrobatics as well. Cynthia, Fenniken can learn Flame Charge and Psybeam by now if we work hard enough. She may get the basics down and you can continue teaching her later. About Nidoran…"

"He can learn Focus Energy and Fury Attack. Both make a nice rapid strike move. Nidoran can use it against weak pokémon." May ended. "Zeus can evolve once he has a grip on his electricity and Eevee has a long time before she will evolve."

"How did you keep track?" Ash asked in awe.

"I've been travelling with you for a week. Off course I would keep track of your progress." May chuckled amused. Ash face palmed.

"Yeah. Stupid question." He muttered. Cynthia cracked a smile at his reaction.

"We'll be training after gaining some ground." May told them. "We'll camp early and then train till dinner. Any complains?" None were forthcoming so she settled for her plan. "Good."

Xxx

"Skylar! Quick Attack!" Skylar burst forwards, moving towards Dustox. The Bug/Poison Type ducked down just as Ash expected. "Now!" Skylar switched moves, keeping up her speed with a burst of Quick Attack and then coming down for an Aerial Ace.

"Don't celebrate yet." May warned and Dustox flapped her wings. Purplish powder bloomed around her and Skylar had to alter her course lest get poisoned.

"Blow the powder away! Gust!" Ash called out. Skylar flapped her wings and May smirked.

"You just won't learn." Dustox burst forwards in an Aerial Ace towards Skylar, cutting through her Gust easily.

"Think again." Dustox cut through the Pidgey, buzzing confusedly and then swerving out of control as Skylar slammed into her with a Quick Attack boosted Aerial Ace.

"Bug Buzz! Then Psybeam!" Dustox quickly reoriented herself and a horrendous buzzing filled the place. Skylar winced and slowed down enough for Dustox to land a Psybeam.

"Oh c'mon!" Ash complained. "Can't I catch a break?!" Skylar opened her wings and immediately took to the air.

"You cannot lower your guard down for even a second." Dustox zipped after Skylar, dropping her defensive style for a more offensive one. Skylar squawked as Dustox nearly stuck her with a Psybeam and began to swerve around the clearing making sharp turns.

"Stop!" Skylar dropped her speed and ducked down. Dustox crossed her and Skylar raced after her.

"Bad move." May sang. "Poison Powder." Dustox began to flap her wings, the purplish powder left as a trail behind her. Ash growled at that.

"Power through!" He hollered. May gasped in surprise. "Aerial Ace to power through!" Skylar burst forwards, moving into the Poison Powder and almost striking Dustox. The Bug Type pulled up just in time.

"Giga Drain." Dustox latched onto Skylar's back, biting down on her neck. Skylar squawked in pain as the energy began to get sucked out of her, doubled with the poisoning.

"Quick Attack!" Skylar burst forwards, trying to throw Dustox off but the Bug Type didn't loosen. "Roll continuously!" Skylar turned her beak towards the sky and began to spin.

Dustox began to grow dizzy and had to detach herself from Skylar. Ash smiled as his strategy worked. "Fall back down with Aerial Ace!" Skylar stopped her spinning and quickly moved down.

Gravity coupled with momentum and speed of the Aerial Ace helped Skylar reach Dustox in no time. She slammed into the Bug Type with all of her might and buried it into the ground alongside herself.

"Whoa." May breathed as Dustox was knocked out by the powerful attack. Skylar stood atop her, breathing labored and body aching. Only pure determination helped her stand.

"We did it!" Ash screamed in joy. Skylar passed a proud look to Ash before beginning to glow. Ash looked on, captivated by the sight of his avian glowing.

All the pokémon turned their attention towards her, and Cynthia ran over. Ash watched on to the first evolution of his pokémon. Skylar's body structure grew, wings lengthened in spam, and plumage sprouted from her head.

The evolution ended to show Ash's newly evolved pokémon standing proud. Skylar had evolved into a Pidgeotto. The Pidgeotto shrieked its evolution out to the whole forest and turned to its trainer.

"Hey girl." Ash greeted. "Congrats on your evolution." Skylar nodded and flew over to Ash. Scooping up her trainer in a hug with her larger wings, she nipped at his ear playfully.

"A victory against Dustox was all she needed." May smiled. "Must be feeling proud and ready."

"More than that, she wanted to prove to Dustox that she could beat it without evolving." Cynthia informed them.

"Let's see what the pokedex has to say for you." Ash brought out his pokedex to scan the avian.

" **Pidgeotto the Bird Pokémon. Very protective of its sprawling territorial area, this Pokémon will fiercely peck at any intruder and punish any trespasser with its sharp claws. This Pidgeotto is female and knows the following moves:** **Tackle, Quick Attack, Gust, Sand Attack, Aerial Ace, and Double Team. Egg Move is Sky Attack."**

"Those are some powerful moves." May smiled. "About Acrobatics, you'll need some more tutoring. I'm going to go catch up on Eevee and Zeus. You check her for any inconvenience."

Eevee was on her haunches, breathing heavily as she continued to endure Zeus's Thunderbolts. They weren't top notch but they still hurt like hell.

Ash had originally been against this endurance training but May insisted it would increase Eevee's ability to tank hits when the situation required it. Eevee was eager for the training but now maybe she was rethinking things.

"Zeus almost has Thunderbolt down." May commented. "All he has to do is decrease the charging time to as minimum as possible. That can only come by training."

May crouched down next to Eevee and ran a finger through her fur. "I know it hurts girl but you'll be thankful of me training you like that once you reach Lt. Surge. He has a very dangerous reputation."

Eevee huffed. Why worry about the future right now? But Ash said to follow all of May's commands so she had to. Talk about loyalty… Eevee grumbled.

That night during dinner, after trainer and pokémon alike were exhausted, May spoke up. "I think you're ready for the fight against Brock." She said after swallowing her mouthful. "It might not be easy but I think you can pull it off."

"We can reach Pewter by tomorrow." Cynthia read off her map. "In three hours actually if we pick up our pace."

"We still have to face the trainers." May chimed in. "I think I'll handle them tomorrow. You had enough training and battling. Relax before your big day."

"Sure." The duo answered in sync.

Xxx

Ash and Cynthia could only look on in wonder as May destroyed any trainers they came across with her Jolteon alone. The Electric Eevelution Pokémon destroyed any opponent they came through.

The foliage began to thin out, giving way to the less fertile rocky field of Pewter. This showed the sign they were approaching Pewter. Ash was impressed with May's management and leadership qualities. What they thought to be a dreaded trudging through a forest filled with all sorts of horrors turned out to be a simple walk with May's help.

"Are we there?" May asked Cynthia. "I'm beginning to get a little bored with this greenery to be true."

"Almost there." Cynthia told her. The trio travelled in silence, approaching the rocky city of Pewter by every passing second. About twenty minutes later they reached it.

"Finally." Ash breathed. "Pewter City."

"C'mon, we can rest after we reach the Pokémon Center." May told them. The trio wandered around the city before approaching the Pokémon Center.

Going in, May gestured Ash and Cynthia to rest on the couches while she got them a room. They didn't argue. "Finally. We're at Pewter City." Cynthia smiled. Ash typed in a quick message to Delia about his arrival.

"C'mon guys." May told them. "Give Nurse Joy your pokémon. She'll tend to them while we rest." Ash and Cynthia handed over their pokémon and followed May to their room.

Entering inside, they placed their bags down and began to accommodate themselves. "Hey guys." They looked at May. "Mind if I fight Brock first? It may give you an insight on how he battles."

"We don't mind." Cynthia spoke for them. "Now, I'm feeling tired so good night to both of you." The blonde entered the dream realm after saying that, the soft mattress and pillow being the cause.

"You take a nap as well. I'm going to take a shower." Ash nodded and joined Cynthia in the dream realms.

Gym Leader Brock, they are coming to crush you.

And They Just Might.

Xxx

 **Phew! Took a lot of time to write didn't it! Since exams are approaching, there goes my remaining time. No promises when my next update would come. Just show your love and support by R &R so I get more encouragement! **


	3. The Pewter Gym Leader

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.**

 **Xxx**

 **The Pewter Gym!**

Ash, Cynthia and May stood in front of the Pewter Gym's entrance, looking at it with a challenging look. For the formers it was the official beginning of their conquest while for May it was the gym that would open her new challenge.

"Here we go." May walked in front of them, entering the gym. Ash and Cynthia followed her and squinted in the darkness. Suddenly, a bright light opened up, the aforementioned trainers looking away instinctively.

The gym was nothing new, made of bare rock and having a few bleachers at the side for spectators. The field was littered with rocks of all sizes, arranged randomly.

On the opposite side of the battlefield was a throne a little distance away, on which sat a bare chested tanned man with a calculating look. "Challengers!" He barked.

"You must be Brock." May answered back. The man nodded. "Then we issue you a challenge for the Pewter Badge!"

"I accept." Brock retorted. "Which of you will challenge me first?" He jumped from his position into the trainer box.

"I will." May stepped forwards, taking her own stance. "What are the rules?" Ash and Cynthia walked to sit on the benches on the side.

"You seem experienced." Brock commented. "How many badges do you have?"

"Eight Hoeen Badges." May answered simply.

"Then this will be a three on three battle with no substitutions." Brock replied. "Referee!" A young boy came running, stopping into the referee's position.

"I'll choose first." Brock grabbed a pokéball on his waist. "Go Tyranitar!" a large, bipedal, dinosaurian Pokémon with a green, armor-like hide covering its body came out, roaring intimidatingly at May.

"What is that?!" Ash exclaimed, pulling out his pokedex. It beeped.

" **Tyranitar, the Armor Pokémon. Tyranitar has a heavily armored body that can withstand powerful attacks and is able to crush a mountain with one hand."**

"What?!" Cynthia exclaimed. "It has that much power?!" May was calm, thinking over her response pokémon.

"Jolteon spotlight!" The Electric Type Eevelution came out, bristling its spikes at the pseudo legendary. One of Ash's pokéballs popped open, his starter, being Eevee, coming out and curling up in Ash's lap.

"What's up girl?" Ash questioned, running a hand through her soft fur. Eevee gestured towards Jolteon. She wanted to see an evolution of her fight!

"Looks like you've got an admirer Jolteon." May teased. The eevelution blushed a little.

"Are both trainers ready?" The referee asked. May turned all her attention on the battle, looking at Tyranitar and sizing him up and down.

She nodded all amusement and humor gone, a seasoned battler in its place. Brock nodded as well. "Then begin!" Brock was quick to command on that.

"Sandstorm!" But so was May.

"Thunder!" Jolteon shot a mighty blast of electricity dead on at Tyranitar. The Armor Pokémon was struck, roaring in pain as the current worked its wonder on his bulky form.

The sandstorm formed nevertheless, swirling around Tyranitar before swallowing the whole battlefield. May growled at the intense swirling amount of sand, thinking of a way around.

"Now Stone Edge!" Brock continued.

"Agility!" Jolteon blurred from his position, moving from one spot to another in a matter of moments. "Shock Wave!"

"Stone Edge to defend!" Tyranitar slammed his heavy tail into the ground, sharp rocks jutting out around him as a shield, and the Shock Wave bounced off uselessly.

"Pin Missile!" May pressed. Jolteon fired off tiny needles that passed through the small gaps in the Stone Edge and struck Tyranitar. They didn't hurt much but didn't tickle either.

"Earthquake." Tyranitar stomped on the ground, the earth shaking intensely. Jolteon jumped from one boulder to another, trying to avoid both the quakes and the sandstorm.

"How can Jolteon aim so accurately in the sandstorm?" Ash muttered.

"She's using the electrical discharge to track down Tyranitar's general location." Cynthia replied. "That Shock Wave was only to confirm his location."

"Okay then." Brock growled seeing the sandstorm not working. "Screech!" Tyranitar opened his jaw and unleashed an ear piercing yell. May covered her ears, flinching at the sharp sound, and stepped back instinctively.

"Now Dragon Pulse!" Jolteon slowed down from the Screech and was struck dead on by the pulse of draconic energy. Blasted away, Jolteon slammed roughly into a boulder and slid down wincing. "Stealth Rock!"

May winced as sharp rocks were stationed on the boulders of the field. That would be a problem. Jolteon got back up, growling at Tyranitar. "Thunder!"

"Dark Pulse!" A swirling double helix beam met the mighty Thunder, the two exploding upon contact. "That's all you have challenger?" Brock taunted. "I expected more."

"Agility!" May ordered. Jolteon began to blur from one side to another, Brock thinking carefully.

"Earthquake!" Tyranitar slammed his muscular tail on the ground, the earth shaking on his command. Jolteon weaved from one position of the quakes to another, circling Tyranitar and using the boulders for cover.

"Signal Beam." Jolteon appeared behind the Armor Pokémon, unleashing a green beam. It struck Tyranitar on his back, making him growl in pain.

"Iron Tail!" Tyranitar's tail lashed out, almost hitting Jolteon who moved away just in time.

"Thunder!" May pressed. Jolteon unleashed another blast of crippling electricity towards Tyranitar who endured it. "Now Double Kick!"

Jolteon climbed onto a boulder and used it to further boost her in the hair. Brock saw what May had planned from the start. "Iron Defense!" Jolteon came crashing down on Tyranitar's gleaming silver armor and her strikes bounces off.

"Thunder!" May hurriedly yelled as Brock called for a Hyper Beam. The aforementioned blast of electricity met the destructive beam of energy, the two energies mixing and exploding.

Into Tyranitar's face.

Jolteon was thrown back from the big blast, crashing into another rock and breaking through it while Tyranitar stumbled back. Jolteon scrambled back to her feet slowly, panting as the pain of the strikes she endured made itself known.

Tyranitar stood back up, bruises, and burns littering his body from the many strikes. May bit her lower lip as she thought of another way to bring down the pseudo legendary. Even a Hyper Beam exploding on his face didn't do much.

"Tyranitar use Dragon Pulse!" Tyranitar formed the sphere a little bit more slowly this time, a show of his stamina burning out. May got an idea.

"Agility!" Jolteon disappeared from view, flashing from one spot to another and easily dodging the Dragon Pulse. Jolteon appeared in front of May, winded. "Baton Pass." Jolteon closed her eyes and vanished into her pokéball. May smiled. "Blaziken spotlight!"

The Fire/Fighting Type came out, giving the battered Tyranitar an analytic look. Ash looked at May confused.

"Was substitution allowed?" He asked.

"You cannot substitute _manually_ but can use a move to substitute." Cynthia reminded. Ash looked at Cynthia strangely.

"How do you know that?" He questioned.

"Because I have read the Pokémon guidelines book many times." She answered cockily.

"Lucky You then." Ash grinned. Back on the battlefield, Blaziken suffered damage from the Stealth Rocks.

"Use Bulk Up Blaziken!" May ordered confidently. Her starter's muscles bulged a little while Tyranitar fired off a Dragon Pulse at him. "Agility into Brick Break!"

Blaziken dashed away, moving towards Tyranitar with both of his arms glowing crimson. A powerful chop hit Tyranitar's neck, followed by an uppercut. The pseudo legendary stumbled back. That hurt.

"Aqua Tail." Brock grinned. Tyranitar spun and threw his tail, enveloped in concentrated yet wild water, at Blaziken.

"Grab it with Thunder Punch!" Blaziken grabbed the thick appendage, gritting his teeth at the effort. A light jolt went through Tyranitar's body and he roared in pain.

"Thrash!"

"Close Combat!" May countered, meeting fire with fire. The two began to thrash against each other violently, ones strikes filled with blind fury and the others with a relentless fluid strikes.

Ash and Cynthia watched in awe at the never-ending strikes, eyes widening. That was some serious attacks they were dishing in. May frowned when she saw Blaziken get pushed back.

"High Jump Kick!" Blaziken quickly made his way back, ducking under another angry slash and then jumped up. His knee slammed into Tyranitar's stomach, throwing him back.

"Gr!" Brock growled his teeth. May smirked.

"Now use Power Up Punch!" Blaziken threw his orange glowing fist into Tyranitar's stomach with all of his might. Tyranitar groaned one last time before falling unconscious.

"Tyranitar is unable to continue! Blaziken wins!" The referee declared. May smiled and silently rejoiced. Outwardly, she looked analytically at Brock as he returned his pseudo legendary.

He knew about her Jolteon and about Blaziken. Both were tired from their battles and wouldn't last longer against any powerhouse. She needed to play her hands correctly.

"That was a nice strategy." Brock complimented. "Using Baton Pass to switch Blaziken in and using High Jump Kick to take out Tyranitar. The experience shows."

"Thanks." May smiled.

"From Blaziken's reckless yet fluid strikes to Jolteon's speedy run and gun strategy, you are prepared to switch to any style." Brock carried on. "However, you need more than that to win against me!"

Brock's next pokéball exploded, revealing a long, serpentine Pokémon with a silvery-gray body made up of rock-like sections. It stood tall against Blaziken, dwarfing all of them under its sheer size.

"Meet my starter Steelix!" Brock announced. Ash scrambled for his pokedex, aiming it at the Steel Snake with shaky hands.

" **Steelix the Iron Snake Pokémon. It chews its way through boulders with its sturdy jaws. Its eyes can see in the darkness underground."** Blaziken braced himself for the fight to come, looking at the Steelix with burning eyes.

"Can May even hope to defeat that beast of a pokémon?" Cynthia thought out aloud. "It's body is made of minerals that can withstand a lot of flames and are really sturdy. He is harder than a diamond."

"She must have a strategy for it." Ash told Cynthia firmly. "I'm sure of it!" May thought over her current options. Blaziken could deal some damage but it was next to impossible to take Steelix out with Blaziken himself.

"Are both trainers ready?" The referee asked. May broke her train of thoughts and nodded. "Then let the battle begin!"

"Dig!" Steelix jumped in the ground faster than May could react. Blaziken dashed from place to place, trying not to fall victim to the steel snake's unforgiving bind.

"That's not gonna work!" Brock grinned. The sand stirred and suddenly the whole field was enveloped into a sandstorm. May growled at that and tried to figure out a way.

"Don't give up May!" Ash encouraged.

"You can do it!" Cynthia chimed in. May scowled as she spotted a large figure moving in the sandstorm. An idea lit up in her mind.

"Spin while using Inferno!" Blaziken quickly began to twirl on his toes, unleashing a constant stream of flames. The flames began to pick up on his spinning and he turned into a miniature tornado of flames.

The sandstorm around him began to turn into superheated sand, falling on the ground in sticky globs. The Fire Spin began to increase in power and range, weakening the sandstorm.

"Head Smash." Brock commanded simply. Steelix burst from the ground in the middle of the Fire Spin, moving towards Blaziken. The Fire/Fighting Type had no time to react as Steelix cut through his maelstrom of flames.

"Blaziken!" May screamed in alarm. Steelix slammed into his stomach, a sickening _crunch_ resonating through the air, and Blaziken was sent flying to May's side.

Even Brock winced a little when Blaziken slammed into the wall behind May and collapsed like a sack of potatoes. It was obvious he was out cold.

"Blaziken is unable to continue!" The referee declared. "Challenger send your next pokémon in!" Eevee, Ash, and Cynthia let out sad sighs at the vicious attack.

May returned Blaziken, muttering words of encouragement to him, before selecting another pokéball. There was only one pokémon who could take Steelix down.

"Ninetails Spotlight!" The fire fox came out, growling its arrival. Its nine tails all were tense, shoulders hunched as she examined the burned Steelix. "Be careful! It took down Blaziken down easily!"

Ninetails nodded. That was enough information for her. "Are both trainers ready?" The referee asked again. May and Brock both nodded. "Then begin!"

"Dig!" Steelix jumped down into the ground but May was prepared.

"Flamethrower into the hole!" Ninetails was about to dash over when Steelix erupted from under her. She cried out in pain as Steelix's hard head hit hard.

So was Brock it seemed.

"What?!" May exclaimed in surprise. Brock grinned.

"Steelix had made many tunnels in the ground for faster movement during the battle with Blaziken." Brock explained. "That's why he was a little late."

"That's some strategy Brock has." Ash muttered. "Always planning ahead." They winced as Ninetails was almost pelted by sharp stones courtesy of Stone Edge.

"Okay then!" May growled. "Quick Attack straight towards Steelix!" Ninetails, instead of running away, began to run towards Steelix. Brock narrowed his eyes.

"Mud Slap!" Steelix threw wet mud towards Ninetails, who was unable to dodge due to her Quick Attack. It stained her face and caked around her eyes, reducing visibility.

"Flamethrower!"

"Wrap." Brock grinned. Steelix ducked under the stream of flames, quickly slamming his head into Ninetails' chest and throwing her high in the air.

"Thank You." May suddenly grinned back. "Confuse Ray!" Ninetails eyes glowed with a strange light and Steelix's pupils diluted. Brock paled as his Steelix began to thrash around.

"Snap out of it Steelix!" Brock tried.

"Will-O-Wisp!" Ninetails fired the ghostly blast of flames, striking Steelix and burning him. Brock was shocked at the strategy May was using.

"That was a great move!" Ash exclaimed.

"Yeah." Cynthia agreed. "Luring Brock in and confusing Steelix was really clever!" Ninetails was able to squeeze out of Steelix's grip and dashed back in front of May, glowing a soft red.

"And now Ninetails' healing up with Morning Sun." Ash grinned. Steelix kept on rampaging around the field, roaring as many of its strikes struck itself instead which in turn made his rampage more intense.

"Sandstorm!" Steelix's eyes miraculously came back to life, if only for a moment, and a sandstorm whipped up around him. May just smirked triumphantly.

"Overheat!" Ninetails breathed in before unleashing a large amount of fierce bluish flames towards the tornado of sands enveloping Steelix. It struck it and was held at bay.

"Don't give up Steelix!" Brock encouraged. Ash watched on at the battle of dominance while Cynthia's eyes were narrowed at the calmness May was eluding.

' _Something's up.'_ The blonde decided.

"That confusion must be wearing off by now." Brock frowned. "Intensify the Sandstorm!" True to his command, the swirling sands expanded around the field, battering Ninetails as her Overheat weakened overtime.

"Sunny Day!" May ordered. A miniature sun lit up inside the gym, the Sandstorm weakening a lot due to it and Overheat picking up again. In fact, the swirling tornado around Steelix turned into a spinning inferno for Steelix.

"Steelix!" Brock cried out. He finally understood May's plan. Seeing May's smug look, he let out a chuckle. "You got me there."

"Thanks." There was a groan and Steelix collapsed. The inferno died down to reveal a thoroughly crisped and unconscious Steelix.

"Steelix is unable to continue! Ninetails wins!" The referee declared. "Gym Leader send out your last pokémon!" Brock returned his roasted iron snake and brought out his final pokémon.

"Go Aggron!" The Iron Behemoth came out, roaring his arrival. May tensed up. She could feel the power behind Aggron's roar. This was going to be an uphill battle that was for sure.

"What is that?" Cynthia brought out her pokedex and aimed it towards Aggron.

" **Aggron The Iron Armor Pokémon. Aggron feast upon iron minerals and ferociously attack those who enter its territory."** Ash quirked an eyebrow.

"This will be interesting."

"Aggron vs. Ninetails! Battle Begin!" The referee began.

"Flamethrower Ninetails!" May hollered. Ninetails opened her maw and unleashed a stream of fiery flames towards Aggron who calmly waited.

"Protect." A green barrier shimmered around the Iron Armor Pokémon, the flames washing over it uselessly. "Now Iron Defense!" Aggron's armor shined, thickening.

"Ninetails…" May began. Ninetails looked at the brunette and nodded. She began to run towards Aggron, flames coating her.

"Not gonna work this time!" Brock boomed. "Metal Sound!" Aggron's horns began to vibrate, a sickening voice coming out. Ninetails winced at the metal grinding against metal sound and Aggron reared his fist back. "Mega Punch!"

"Burn Up!" Ninetails' tails all stood on end and the Fire Fox unleashed a scathing blast of intense flames. Aggron groaned as the flames enveloped him, hiding him from view. His Mega Punch did pull through, however, and struck Ninetails on the neck.

"Gr." Brock gritted his teeth as the heat touched his dark skin as well. That was one awful Burn Up. He couldn't imagine what Aggron would've had to feel so close up.

"What's that move?!" Ash asked in alarm.

"That's Burn Up." Cynthia answered. "A move in which the user unleashes all of its fire which results in it losing its ability to use Fire Type attacks and the typing for some time."

"That's it!" May cheered. "Now Energy-" Her command stopped as a heavy thud was heard. The smoke swirled around Aggron and Ninetails, hiding them from view.

"Ninetails?" May called out worriedly. The smoke finally cleared to show Ninetails on the ground unconscious, Aggron standing over her triumphantly.

The Iron Armor Pokémon was in bad condition though, burned and weakened a great deal. May smiled while returning her Fire Fox. She did more than her part.

"Ninetails is unable to continue! Aggron wins!" The referee declared. May grabbed her final pokéball.

"Jolteon Spotlight!" The electric Eevelution came out, growling at the badly hurt Dual Steel/Rock Type. Aggron roared back defiantly.

"You've got some sharp brains May." Brock grinned. "You did more than many trainers do against my starter pokémon." May smirked back.

"I'm not just any trainer Brock." She looked at Aggron. "Admit it, you're beat."

"We'll see." Brock chuckled.

"Battle Begin!" Jolteon immediately blurred from view, Aggron looking around to spot the speedy yellow blur.

"Thunderbolt!" Jolteon unleashed the crackling blast of electricity that struck Aggron out of nowhere.

"Earthquake!" Aggron slammed his heavy tail into the ground, shaking it. Jolteon lost his footing and fell to the ground. "Now Double Edge!" Aggron lowered his head and began to rush towards the Electric Eevelution, a silvery reckless aura covering him.

"Wild Charge!" Jolteon got to her feet quickly and dashed towards Aggron, wild electricity, true to its name, covering her. The two met mid charge, respective energy exploding to damage the other and itself as well.

"Jolteon cannot counter Aggron's raw power." Ash argued.

"Maybe." Cynthia mused. True to her words, Aggron and Jolteon were a match for each other.

"What?" Ash asked bluntly. "How's that possible?"

"The Burn ailment." Cynthia replied. "If exposed to intense flames, a pokémon can be affected by the Burn ailment."

"I know that." Ash protested. "I was just asking what had happened." The two looked at Aggron and Jolteon. Jolteon was suffering from a bit of recoil while Aggron looked perfectly fine.

"Solid Rock." Brock told them. "It cancels any recoil a pokémon can suffer from." May smiled.

"However," She paused for good measure. "Aggron is done." They all looked at the Steel/Rock behemoth and saw him shudder. It fell down on the ground knocked out.

"How?" Brock asked baffled. May passed him a sweet innocent smile.

"The Burn alignment." She answered. "The more Aggron moved, the more he acted, the more it chipped away his health." She chuckled. "Solid Rock can only reduce recoil, but it can't take away any other damage."

"Aggron is unable to continue! Jolteon wins! The winner of his battle is the Challenger May Maple!" The referee declared finally. May smiled and returned her Electric Eevelution, smiling.

"That was a great battle May!" Ash congratulated. "You were epic out there."

"That were some nice strategies you used." Cynthia threw her two cents in. "Especially the approach with Steelix."

"Thank you guys." May replied.

"You fought smartly and brilliantly." Brock approached her. "For that I award you the Boulder Badge, the symbol of being as sturdy as a rock." May took it, looking at the shiny badge.

"One down, seven to go." May mumbled to herself. "Now, I think it's our beginner's turn." She gestured to Ash and Cynthia.

"Can you wait till lunch?" Brock asked. "The battlefield's all ruined and I have to get my team to the pokémon center."

"Sure." Ash shrugged. "We don't mind."

"Thank You." The trio of trainers departed the Gym and went to the Pokémon Center. May handed her tired pokémon to Nurse Joy while Ash and Cynthia sat in the lobby, revising their strategies.

When May walked over, she sat down. "May?" Cynthia began. May gave her a questioning look.

"Yes?" The brunette asked.

"Are you sure I can win using only Fenniken and Nidoran?" She began. "Geodude I can handle. But what about his Onix?" For the first time since meeting May, Cynthia showed hesitance in her eyes.

May placed her hand on the blonde's shoulder consoling. "Do you trust yourself?" Cynthia nodded slowly. "Do you trust your pokémon?" Cynthia nodded again. "Then why are you worrying?" She looked at Ash. "Right Ash?"

Ash was lost in his own thoughts, not even paying attention to what Cynthia and May were discussing. "Ash?" May snapped her fingers in front of his face, snapping him out of his trance.

"Yeah?" Ash asked after a mild startle.

"I was asking…" May exhaled. "Don't tell me you're nervous too?" Ash passed her a sheepish smile. May let out an exasperated sigh.

"It's normal to be nervous." Cynthia told her a little annoyed.

"I didn't mean to offend you or anything." May said defensively. "I'm just surprised you two are nervous even after all the preparations."

"Well, it is our first battle." Ash defended them. "Like Cynthia said, it's normal to be nervous."

"Listen guys," May began. "I know it is okay to be nervous. I was nervous as well when I fought my first Gym Battle but the remedy to it is to just think of it as another battle."

"Well, it isn't just _any_ battle." Ash protested. "It's our First Gym Battle." May sighed in defeat.

"Whatever you believe in." She stretched. "Your Gym Battle is in, what? Three hours?" They nodded. "I'm going to go take a stroll around Pewter. I'll see you at the Gym." She winked before getting up and walking out of the pokémon center.

"Um…" Ash said as an awkward silence followed. "What should we do now?"

"Why don't we-" She was cut off as Nurse Joy approached them.

"You're Cynthia, right?" She questioned. The blonde nodded. "There's a phone call for you." The blonde, confused but curious, got up. She approached the phone Nurse Joy told her about and sat down on the chair.

"Cynthia Carolina." The voice on the other end called.

"Yes?" She spoke back uncertainly. The blank screen suddenly lit up to show the face of a light colored teen with cyan eyes sporting a red jacket over a white shirt. "Ryan?!" Cynthia spoke up in surprise, opening her video call as well.

"The one and only." Ryan replied cockily. "How's it going? Enjoying your journey so far?"

"Yeah. It's been… adventurous so far." Cynthia answered. "So, how's it going in Sinnoh?"

"It's a great place. You should've started your journey here instead of in Kanto." Ryan suggested. "You can still cancel your Kanto Route and take the Sinnoh Route instead if you want to."

"Nah." Cynthia shook her head. "It's cool here. It's a lot of fun here as well."

"Your loss then." He shrugged. "Anyway, I wanted to send you a gift."

"A gift?" Cynthia parroted. Ryan nodded. "What kind?" Ryan held up a pokéball.

"This." He placed it in the transporter and it zipped from his place to Cynthia's teleporter. "Enjoy."

"What's in this pokéball?" She questioned. "And why exactly are you sending me a gift in the form of a pokémon?"

"I know how much you miss Sinnoh Cynthia. Don't lie to me." Ryan said coolly. "Just think of it as a gift that Sinnoh's the best region there is. Easy as that."

"It's hard, true," Cynthia admitted. "But I wouldn't go as far as to say it's the hardest. Kanto is hard too."

"Whatever helps you sleep." Ryan relented. "Anyway, I need to take care of other things so bye." He smiled.

"Bye Ryan." Cynthia waved. Ryan smiled one last time before the call cut off. She looked at the pokéball Ryan had sent her and gripped it tightly. "Let's see what it is outside."

She got up and saw Ash look at her questioningly. Gesturing him to follow her, Cynthia walked out of the Pokémon Center and threw the pokéball in the air.

It opened up to reveal a small, light green bipedal pokémon with a rose in each hand, bowing elegantly to Cynthia. "A Roselia?" Cynthia pulled out her pokedex.

" **Roselia, the Thorn Pokémon. Its flowers give off a relaxing fragrance. The stronger its aroma, the healthier it is. This Roselia is Female and has the ability Natural Cure. It knows the following moves: Mega Drain, Growth, Poison Sting, Magical Leaf, and Leech Seed."**

"Where did you get the Roselia from?" Ash questioned. Cynthia grinned and told her about the call from Ryan. After it cleared up, Ash had another question. "Who's Ryan?"

"He's a childhood friend of mine." Cynthia said off handedly. "We met in Celestic Town before I moved to Kanto. We keep in touch."

"Nice friend you have then." Ash smirked. Cynthia smirked back.

"Thanks for the compliment." She ignored Ash purposely, knowing full well the trainer was slightly troubled at his new discovery. She crouched next to Roselia. "Hey Roselia, my name is Cynthia Carolina. I'm on a road to become a Pokémon Professor. Would you like to come with me?"

Roselia nodded happily. Ryan had told her everything about Cynthia anyway. "We'll do a lot of stuff together so don't worry!" Roselia nodded.

"Why don't you use her for your battle here?" Ash asked. "She's a Grass Type and Mega Drain can be nifty against Brock's Onix."

"Yeah. Nice idea." Cynthia smiled. "What do you say Roselia? Want to battle against Brock?" Roselia agreed spontaneously. "C'mon then, let's have lunch and we can go forward to have our battle."

"Sounds like a plan." The blonde returned her Grass Type and the two walked back inside the Pokémon Center. They stepped into the cafeteria and, taking their food with them, sat on two parallel chairs.

"Do you think Roselia alone can take on Onix?" Cynthia asked Ash worriedly.

"Don't know." He replied honestly. "We'll see after seeing her in action. Try to win the first battle as easily as you can. His Onix is the real deal."

"I know." Cynthia took a deep breath. "Maybe we're overthinking it." She looked him in the eye. "It's a Gym Battle, not something in which we will die if we lose."

"Yeah." Ash looked around. "My strategies are ready. I hope my pokémon can pull through with them. I believe in them, no doubt about it."

"Besides, even if we lose, we can try again." Cynthia grinned. Ash nodded.

"And we'll hit back twice as hard." The two finished their lunch and carried on with their conversation until it was time. Getting up, the duo of trainers began their trek towards the Pewter Gym.

"Where's May?" Ash asked, looking around. He found no one in sight.

"She may be busy." Cynthia suggested. "Or she forgot."

"That's unlikely." Ash frowned. "May's very sharp minded from what I know of her." Cynthia decided not to respond.

"Let's begin our battle. She might show up." Ash decided to go with the flow and the two entered into the gym. Brock was waiting already, sitting on his throne with a stone-faced look.

This battlefield was plain, perhaps due to the rocky field being only one. May's battle had ruined it a lot anyway.

"Who of you will fight me first?" He asked. Ash and Cynthia exchanged a glance. Cynthia nodded and Ash stepped back. "Let's begin. It's your first Gym battle?" The referee ran to his position.

"Yup." Cynthia responded.

"Then this is a two-on-two gym battle. Only the challenger may substitute their pokémon." He grabbed a pokéball from his belt. "Go Geodude!"

The Boulder Pokémon came out, taking a fighting stance immediately. Cynthia thought over her options before throwing her own pokéball. Fenniken came out, yipping at Geodude aggressively.

"You get the first move." Brock smirked.

"Flame Burst!" Fenniken unleashed the explosive blast at Geodude, striking him quickly. Geodude stumbled back, wincing at the burning sensation.

"That was quick." Brock noted a little alarmed. "Geodude, use Rock Throw!"

"Dodge with Quick Attack!" Fenniken began to move around, dodging between the rocks easily. "Now use Flame Burst!" Another blast struck Geodude.

"Rollout!" Geodude curled up and began to roll towards Fenniken who yipped and jumped out of the way. Cynthia thought over her next move.

"Another Flame Burst! Aim it in front of Geodude!" Cynthia hollered. Fenniken formed another projectile near her mouth, aiming a little ahead of Geodude. She then unleashed it, the flame exploding under him and throwing the Rock/Ground Type in the air.

"Gr." Brock growled. "Okay then." He smirked. "Mega Punch while landing!" Geodude uncurled, starting his descent. His right fist was enveloped in a white glow as he aimed his Mega Punch at Fenniken.

"Quick Attack to dodge!" Fenniken waited until the last second and jumped back. Geodude's Mega Punch struck the ground, cracking it, and Fenniken blasted a Flame Burst on his face.

"This is getting annoying." Brock snarled. "Rollout!" Geodude corrected himself, rubbing his sore right fist, before rolling up and moving towards Fenniken.

"Same strategy as before Fenniken!" Cynthia called out. Fenniken aimed her Flame Burst just like before but this time, Geodude steered out of the way and almost managed to hit Fenniken.

"I won't fall for the same tricks twice!" Brock chuckled. Cynthia smiled slyly.

"Okay then Brock." Cynthia thought over her plan. "Fenniken! Heat Wave!" Fenniken took a deep breath, reaching deep within her core. Geodude was approaching her fast. _'C'mon Fenniken.'_ Cynthia thought.

Finally, her eyes opened and she unleashed a large wave of flames that struck Geodude. Geodude was swallowed by the flames and slowed down by a lot, enough for Fenniken to side step and move away.

"Mega Punch Geodude!" Brock took advantage of the proximity. Cynthia decided to bite the bullet.

"Take it and use Hypnosis!" Fenniken stepped purposely into the punch, eyes shining a hypnotizing pink. Geodude punched her in the cheek hard, head whipping to the side, but Fenniken managed to land her Hypnosis.

"Oh no!" Brock gasped, realizing his mistake. Geodude fell asleep in front of Fenniken, snoring away peacefully. "Fenniken! Return for now!" Cynthia called her starter back. "Roselia Battle Dance!"

The Thorn Pokémon was summoned. "Mega Drain!" Roselia shot two glowing green vines from her roses, the vines wrapping around Geodude and beginning to suck his life force out of him.

"Gr!" Brock growled. This was beginning to go south real fast. Roselia sighed in pleasure, basking in the energy her Mega Drain was providing her.

"End this with Magical Leaf!" Cynthia dealt the finishing blow. Roselia fired off glowing leaves at Geodude, striking him hard. Geodude groaned one last time before falling unconscious.

"Geodude is unable to continue! Roselia wins!" The referee declared. "Gym Leader send out your last pokémon!" Brock returned his downed Rock/Ground Type and grabbed another one.

"Good luck trying to beat this big guy!" Brock chucked his pokéball. "Go Onix!" The Rock Snake Pokémon came out, roaring intimidatingly at the comparatively tiny Thorn Pokémon.

"This is it Roselia." Cynthia uttered in a low voice. "The final stretch." Roselia nodded and readied herself.

"Battle Begin!" The referee declared. Onix immediately dug deep into the ground, leaving Roselia alone on the battlefield.

"We need to Leech Seed him." Cynthia whispered to Roselia. "Use Magical Leaf all around the battlefield. Obscure yourself from view." Roselia nodded and began to unleash a never ending storm of glowing leaves.

"You'll regret doing that!" Brock grinned. Onix burst under Roselia, throwing her high in the air.

"Will I?" All the Magical Leaf turned back to Onix's exposed form, striking against his rocky body. Onix roared in pain, Brock sweating from the change in terms. "Leech Seed!"

"Sandstorm! Blow the leaves away!" Onix roared and a large sandstorm obscured the battlefield from view, battering the Magical Leaves away and leaving Onix hidden.

Onix groaned in pain as the Leech Seed sucked some energy out of him. Cynthia chuckled. "Now use Mega Drain!" Roselia aimed her left hand towards Onix, two tendrils moving forward. They wrapped around the Rock Snake and began to drain him even further.

"Damn." Brock cursed as his Onix trembled before falling down. They waited for the sandstorm to die down since it was evident Onix was out.

Once it did, the referee made his call and Cynthia was declared the winner. Ash blinked at the quick second round Cynthia had. "That was fast." He commented.

"Great tactic out there Cynthia. You'll go far, believe me." Brock handed her a badge which she gladly accepted. Showing it to Roselia and the newly summoned Fenniken, she beamed.

"You're turn Ash." Ash nodded and, exchanging a quick fist bump with her, walked into the challenger's trainer box. Brock sent his two pokéball with a boy who looked mostly like him.

"Let's see how prepared you are." Brock grinned and grabbed another two pokéballs.

"I was born ready!" Ash responded. Brock announced the same rules as before and threw his selected pokéball. To Ash's pleasant surprise, instead of a Geodude, a Graveler came out.

"Let's see how you handle Geodude's evolved form!" Brock boomed. Ash thought over his options.

' _Skylar, Zeus, and Eevee. Who can take on that Graveler?'_ Ash frowned. Zeus was a straight no since its Electric Attacks wouldn't be of any use. Eevee had Iron Tail and the speed to match Graveler while Skylar could be useful against Brock's Onix.

"Eevee I choose you!" Ash's starter came out, yipping at the taller Graveler. "Be careful Eevee!"

"Let the battle begin!" The referee began.

"Test it with Quick Attack and Shadow Ball!" Eevee burst into action, circling Graveler and firing a Shadow Ball at its back. Graveler was hit and stumbled a little.

"Rollout!" Graveler curled up and sped up towards Eevee who yipped in surprise but managed to dodge.

' _It's not that defensive and its reaction time is slow.'_ Ash noted. _'It compensates for its low speed with Rollout.'_ Ash nodded and thought over his next move.

"Meet him head on with Iron Tail!" Ash new about its speed, defensive capabilities, and typing. All that left was power. Eevee quickly circled around and ran towards Graveler at speed. Her tail stiffened and shone with a silvery gleam.

"Rollout!" Brock commanded. Eevee, after almost nearing Graveler, jumped and rolled in the air, her tail smashing into Graveler's curled form.

The two held against each other for a few moments, their momentum cancelling the other's out. Eevee gritted her teeth as she tried to push forward while Graveler's speed slowed drastically.

"Ok." Ash nodded. He now knew about Graveler's damaging capabilities as well. Eevee tried one last push before jumping back. Graveler, likewise, rolled back. Eevee landed in front of Ash, tail having lost its silvery glow.

Graveler uncurled and awaited further instructions. There was a medium sized crack at his forehead, evidence of Eevee's powerful Iron Tail.

"That's some power." A new voice said. They all turned to see May walking in and sitting beside Cynthia. "Don't mind me, carry on." Brock and Ash nodded.

"Why are you so late?" Cynthia questioned. "You missed my battle!" May blushed in embarrassment.

"Sorry for that." May apologized, face red. "Did you win?" Cynthia nodded and showed her the Boulder Badge. "Congratulations." They heard a groan and found Eevee smashing another Iron Tail into Graveler's back.

"Ash is using the hit and run strategy." Cynthia explained to her. "He figured it was the best way to utilize Eevee's power and speed."

"That's one nice strategy then." May grinned. "Let's see what else he has against Brock."

"Mega Punch Graveler!" Graveler tried to punch Eevee but the Evolution Pokémon kept on dodging, zooming from left to right with ease.

"Iron Tail!" Eevee skid back, dodging a Mega Punch and gaining ground, before jerking her silver tail forward. It smashed into Graveler's arm and forced it back. "Another!"

Eevee soon opened up a barrage of Iron Tail against Graveler, utilizing her tail skillfully. Brock smiled a little at Eevee's powerful attacks. He had no doubt those two new trainers would go far.

"One last Iron Tail!" Eevee spun before delivering a clean strike. Graveler groaned in pain before succumbing to the strikes.

"Geodude is unable to continue! Eevee wins!" The referee declared. "Gym Leader send out your last pokémon!"

Eevee walked back to Ash, sitting on her haunches next to his leg. Her breathing was a bit more labored, evident by her form. Brock grabbed his second pokéball and threw it, revealing a form similar to Ash, Onix.

"Just as I expected." Ash grinned, confidence showing on the outside. Inside, however, he was intimidated. _'It's even scarier in person.'_ Ash shuddered. _'Here goes nothing.'_

Ash threw the pokéball containing his avian, Skylar. The Pidgeotto shrieked per arrival, landing in front of Ash and glaring at Onix, not scared in the slightest.

"Onix use Rock Throw!" Brock hollered. Onix roared and, digging his tail into the ground, flung gravel and earth at Skylar. The bird quickly took to the air, weaving around the strike.

"Quick Attack! Circle him!" Ash ordered. Skylar titled a little, doing as directed. Onix looked around, trying to keep an eye on the speedy and nimble Pidgeotto.

"Sandstorm!" Onix roared, dust, and sand rising in the air. Immediately, they turned into a twister and swallowed the whole battlefield. Ash bit his lip, thinking about another strategy.

"Speed up using Quick Attack!" Ash didn't want to reveal any more of Skylar's attacks soon hence the move. Skylar sped up more, turning into a tan blur. Onix's eyes tried to spot the bird but she was too fast.

"Just wait." Brock told him. "She'll slow down soon enough." Ash realized his strategy then and there. As long as Skylar stayed in speed and moved in unpredictable patterns, Onix couldn't hit her.

"Steel Wing!" Ash ordered. "Open up!" Skylar's wing glowed shimmering steel and she began to speed up around Onix, striking him left to right in a wild manner.

The sandstorm, while hurting her, also took away a bit of visibility so she had to go in blind swoops sometimes. Brock growled as Onix kept on getting pelted by Steel Wings.

"That's a nice strategy." Cynthia commented.

"Capitalizing on Skylar's speed and raw power to deliver powerful Steel Wings. Impressive." May smirked. "Let's see how Brock reacts now."

"Try to dodge Onix!" Brock cried out. Onix groaned, body already aching for so many hard strikes. Skylar swooped in for another strike, Brock watching the losing battle with narrowed eyes.

Xxx

 _Meanwhile, in the outskirts of Pewter…_

"Reporting for duty sir." A man in black and white clothing with a red 'R' insignia in the left side of his chest spoke.

"Is everything ready for today's attack?" A man asked. His face was shrouded in darkness, everything about him eluding mystery.

"Yes sir!" He reported. "The only trainers in the vicinity are three beginning trainers, an experienced veteran, and the Gym Leader Brock. Two of the beginning trainers are having their gym battle currently while the experienced trainer and Brock had a Gym Battle and are tired."

"Are you sure these are the only trainers?" The man asked. The man nodded his head.

"Absolutely!" The man nodded.

"Tomorrow's attack should go just as planned. Nothing should go amiss." He warned.

"We'll try our best!" He responded.

"Best is not enough." He snapped. "I want results." The call ended and the man swallowed.

He had to do this or he would have his skin.

Xxx

"Skylar!" Ash cried out as his bird landed on the ground harshly, Onix's tail lashing out at her. The Skylar squawked defiantly and got up, taking to the air.

"That must've hurt." Cynthia winced. May nodded. Skylar panted, bruises all around her body. The battle was going as planned until Onix managed to clip her.

Skylar had lost her balance and Onix wrapped up around her. However, after a lot of struggle and pain, she managed to get away. Onix this time managed to land a direct hit which resulted in her falling down.

"Let's end this." Ash declared. She nodded. "Skylar! Use Quick Attack to boost your Steel Wing!"

"Meet her head on!" Onix raised his tail, shoving it towards Skylar.

"Now! Dodge!" Skylar steered out of the way at the last way. Passing the tail, she had nothing between her and Onix and so, landed a clean Steel Wing.

Onix was sent crashing into the ground, landing hard. He groaned one last time in pain before going unconscious. Brock was stunned for a moment at the tactic Ash showed before smiling and returning his snake.

"That was a great move Ash." He complimented as the referee declared Ash the winner. Reaching into his pocket, he showed Ash the badge. "Proof of your outstanding performance against me." Ash took it and smiled.

"Not mine, our outstanding performance." Ash smiled. Skylar let out a small shriek while Eevee yipped happily. He showed them the badge, Cynthia and May joining Ash.

"Epic-" Cynthia was cut off by a yell.

"Brock!" The Gym Leader in question turned to see a small girl that vaguely resembled him run towards them. She looked very frightened.

"What happened?" Brock asked.

"Someone… has… attacked… the… pokémon center."

Xxx

 **Ending on a high note to leave you all in pending. Review for sure, it gives me motivation.**


	4. Mt Moon

**Disclaimer: I Don't Own Pokémon.**

 **Xxx**

 **Friendship!**

"Someone has attacked the Pokémon Center!" The little girl told Brock. No sooner she said that, ones of the walls exploded inward, throwing debris and rocks upon the occupants.

"Heads up!" Brock warned just in time. Eevee jumped and fired off a few Shadow Balls, the balls stopping the debris from hitting them and reducing them to mere dust.

"Nice one." Ash said, shielding himself from the small pebbles and dirt. Sure, they didn't hurt much but they still stung. Smoke began to drift inside the gym, alerting them. "Skylar blow them away!"

Ash's avian came out, flapping her wings quickly to blow the smoke away. However, a dark and sneaky figure dashed from inside, striking her and throwing her down.

"What the?!" Ash called out in alarm, having heard Skylar's cry of pain. The Pidgeotto staggered back, ice on a nice chunk of her wing. The smoke enveloped all of them and Eevee yipped in alarm.

Her ears, more sensitive than the humans, caught the figure rushing towards her and she countered with an Iron Tail. The figure used its sharp claws to block it, grabbing her tail and throwing her away, an orange glow around her.

Eevee hit the ground hard, trying her fastest to find footing, and yipped in pain as an Ice Beam struck her hind legs and froze them. The figure rushed forwards, its claws glowing in a Night Slash attack.

Eevee's eyes widened as the figure reached her at high speeds. Her frozen lower side didn't help either. She tried to form a Shadow Ball but the figure had reached her by then. The figure stabbed her claw towards her throat. Eevee awaited the feeling of those claws in her flesh-

-when the ground in front of her burst and May's Mightyena delivered a powerful Dig to it. The figure, caught by surprise, suffered a heavy blow, further continued by a Dark Pulse that flung it away.

Stony walls erupted from the ground around the trainers as a line of defense and a Steelix roared. "Sandstorm." Brock commanded. Steelix began to spin fast, stirring up sand and blowing the smoke away.

The figure was revealed to be a Sneasel, one who was growling and snarling at Mightyena. May and Brock stood in front of Ash and Cynthia, looking at the Sneasel with calculating eyes.

"What just happened?" Cynthia asked in alarm. Ash quickly pocketed his badge and found Eevee lying on the ground, breathing heavily and half frozen.

"Eevee!" Ash hollered. Skylar was already in her pokéball, having suffered a powerful hit in the form of an Ice Punch. Ash returned her as well, looking at the Sneasel with surprise. It took out both Skylar and Eevee all by himself?!

The Sneasel hissed before disappearing into his shadow, said non matter dashing away. Steelix roared and Mightyena howled tauntingly. May turned to Ash and Cynthia.

"Are you two ok?" She questioned. They nodded. "The Pokémon Center is being attacked as we speak." She said to Brock. "I'll head over to there and try to control the situation."

"We'll go with you-" Cynthia was interrupted by the brunette.

"You'll only get in the way." She stated. "Ash's Pokémon are all tired and so are yours. It'll be better if you stay hidden here."

"But-" Ash tried.

"She's right." Brock cut in. "I doubt-" He was again cut off as a Hyper Beam was deflected by Steelix's shining tail. Two Nidoking rushed inside, followed by a Rhydon.

"Damn." May cursed. Following them was a man in all black, a red 'R' insignia on the right side of his chest. Flanking him were more Nidoking and Rhydon.

Brock released more of his real team, a strange Pokémon with a blue head and a Golem. They stood around Steelix, in front of the trainers. The Nidoking all roared and began to rush them.

"Rock Slide." Brock muttered. "Earthquake. Neutral." Golem grabbed a rock and threw it in the Nidoking's path. The rock struck the ground and shook in a powerful quake. At the same time, the strange Pokémon released his own controlled Earthquake, neutralizing the Earthquake while large rocks fell on top of the Nidoking, crushing them under their weight.

"Impressive." The figure commented jawline fit into a smirk. "You're stronger than I thought Mr. Brock."

"Who are you?" Brock questioned. "And what are you doing at my gym?" The man chuckled.

"You're not in a position to ask me that at all Brock." Brock frowned in confusion. "Just look behind you." Ash and Cynthia looked back to see a shadow dart towards them.

The Sneasel from before jumped at them but May's Mightyena interrupted him mid lunge and the two began a feral brawl. The rocks from the Rock Slide shattered, spraying tiny pebbles around, and the Nidoking all stood back up.

"Oldest trick in the house." May commented. She grabbed her pokéball and threw them. Her entire team spammed out excluding the Pokémon who fought against Brock.

"Is that so?" The man questioned. "So the rumors are _true._ The powerful May Maple is in Kanto and with two starting trainers." His eyes trailed from May to Ash and Cynthia. "Are you hiring?"

"That's none of your problems." May growled. The man smirked.

"Okay then." He pulled out a remote with a red button. "This is maybe." He pressed the button and explosions rang all around them. Brock and May's team all reacted accordingly.

The roof caved in and the gym collapsed, burying everyone under them. The man give one last unnerving smirk to May and Brock before debris broke their eye contact.

Xxx

The former gym of Pewter, a beautiful and prestigious infrastructure, broke upon itself, burying its inhabitants and stuff inside it. At the same time, smoke covered every nook and cranny of the Pokémon Center, the invaders all vanishing within moments.

There was a shift in the debris before it was thrown away. A snake made from steel came out, roaring and fishing out the trainers inside. Ash lay limp on top of Cynthia, the blonde feeling scared and whimpering.

May got out of the debris, dirt and bruises evident on her, and quickly checked up on her tutees. She crouched down and quickly lifted Ash off Cynthia, helping Cynthia up.

"Are you okay?" May asked, holding Cynthia tight to her chest. Cynthia nodded, mind in too much frenzy to even form words. May hushed her, rubbing her back soothingly, and checked up on Ash.

The boy had a bump on his head, evident when he had jumped on top of the fear stricken Cynthia. His jacket was roughed up but other than that, he seemed fine.

"Everyone fine?" Brock asked, getting out from under his Steelix with his little sister and returning him. Good thing Steelix had managed to throw up a powerful Protect to block out any major damage to them before it broke.

"Ash is knocked out and Cynthia is scared." May told him. "And my right elbow seems to have been hurt." She said, wincing when she shook said appendage.

"Nurse Joy can tend to that easily." Brock told her. "Any minor injuries on them?" May shook her head. "That's a relief." May suddenly felt dizzy.

Her knees buckled and she almost fell down had Brock not caught her. She could hear Brock trying to wake her up but May couldn't formulate a single answer.

Darkness enveloped her vision and she joined Ash in slumber.

Xxx

 _One week after…_

Ash, Cynthia, and May were now ready to leave the disaster of Pewter behind them. True to Brock's word, Nurse Joy had treated and patched them up as before.

Not that there were any dangerous injuries but still…

Ash and Cynthia were quieter now, not chatting much with anyone. May knew the incident before had affected her but the brunette wasn't going to let it affect someone that bad.

"So Cynthia," May began casually. "That was a nice strategy with Roselia. I didn't know you had one." Cynthia smile a little at that.

"That was a gift from my friend Ryan from Sinnoh." She said, a light blush creeping on her cheeks. "He said that it would help me against Brock."

"It did help a lot." Ash added. "Too bad you missed her battle." He said accusingly to May.

"Sorry about that. I had something to take care of." May apologized. "But hey! At least you trashed Brock completely didn't you?" Cynthia nodded.

"Your battle was epic as well May." Ash complimented. "You had him on his toes the entire time."

"He cornered me a lot as well." May replied. "It was too close for my comfort."

"At least ours was easy." Ash grinned.

"That won't last long." Cynthia told him. "They say the New Gym Leader of Cerulean doesn't pull any punches." May had a sudden thought.

"Hey." She interrupted. "What do you say? Should we train more after reaching Cerulean or before reaching it?" Ash and Cynthia exchanged glances.

"After reaching Cerulean would be much better." Ash added. "We won't run out of supplies too soon."

"Why? I'm all for travelling and avoiding a bit of battling." Cynthia added.

"Oh. Just a thought." May said, cutting off any further debate on the topic. She had a nagging suspicion the ones who attacked Pewter had set their base in Mt. Moon and by leading the duo with her into it, she was exposing them to danger.

The rest of the walk was continued in comfortable silence, unlike the awkward one before. The trio decided to take a break and have lunch so they made a comfortable camp.

Ash pulled out some sandwiches and handed them to May and Cynthia, the former trying to humbly reject them before being forced. May in turn handed them Energy Drinks to drink.

May released her Pokémon and gave all of them a stark nod. They all spread out. When the duo questioned her, she responded with "They wanted to stretch their legs a little" which was a partial lie.

"You should release your Pokémon as well." May added. "It'll help you bond." They nodded and released them, chatting away. May's sapphire eyes glanced at the towering figure of Mt Moon and she decided to check some way around it.

The brunette almost jumped when Cynthia tapped on her shoulder. "Are you okay?" The blonde questioned. May nodded. "You seemed really worried about something."

"It's nothing." May waved her off. She whistled and her Mightyena howled from somewhere. Within moments all of her team was with her. "We're ready to move?"

"Yup." Ash said who had packed up and let Eevee and Skylar stay out. Skylar scouted ahead to check for any danger and practice some maneuvers she and Ash had discussed.

"Your Zeus is very close to evolving Ash." May told the Kantonian. Ash glanced at her with interest. "His sparks are growing stronger day by day. Don't be surprised if he evolves into a Pikachu before even reaching Cerulean." Ash's face split into a smile then.

"I can't wait for it!" Ash celebrated. "Say. Do you think he'll evolve now if he has a good battle with someone?" May shrugged.

"Maybe." Ash turned to Cynthia.

"Want to have a friendly one on one?" Cynthia shrugged. She grabbed a pokéball. Ash called out his Zeus while Cynthia called out her Fenniken. May sat on one of the many rocks littering on the way.

"Don't get carried away though!" May called out. The two trainers called out commands and the fight began.

Xxx

In the end, Zeus didn't evolve but managed to force Fenniken to her last legs. The mouse was done for by then, and Fenniken would've ended him with an Ember had May not intervened.

The older brunette said that while Zeus did extremely well against Fenniken, he had a little problem controlling the outage of his electricity. The control he had, however, showed that his evolution was very near.

After healing Zeus and Fenniken, the two had gained some more ground, during which many trainers had fought against them. Ash seemed interested in the many Rock Types they were using but May had stopped him from trying to capture any of them.

"Try to focus on each of your Pokémon first and train them personally. Expanding too quickly will only result in problems." Ash took that in stride and spent more time with them during night.

Cynthia, however, had her suspicions. May seemed on edge ever since they had left Pewter. Whether that had to do with the attack or something else she didn't know for certain.

"This seems like a good place to setup camp." Ash said, looking at the clearing. May nodded. The trio quickly erected their tents and, having dinner quickly, sat down in comfortable silence.

"Any strategies for Cerulean?" May asked. Ash nodded.

"Once Zeus evolves, I'll begin to train him into focusing his electricity into powerful bursts and teach him Iron Tail as well. Thunderbolt and Iron Tail are my first options. Other moves he can learn are Discharge, Feint, Double Team, and Wild Charge. The last is difficult to learn though."

"You think that you can achieve all of that by the time we reach Cerulean?" May asked, surprised. Ash shook his head.

"Not at all. Discharge is a very powerful but energy consuming move. Zeus won't be able to do it anytime soon. Feint is comparatively easy and so is Double Team. Wild Charge is scheduled _after_ Discharge since both require heavy energy."

"You think Zeus can learn Iron Tail and Double Team before we reach Cerulean?" May asked.

"Dig as well." Ash added. "All of them can be taught by Eevee. Besides, I'm in no hurry to challenge the Gym Leader. I'll take things by my own pace."

"So Zeus will be your heavy hitter?" May questioned. Ash nodded. "Any backup?"

"Skylar is a good option but Water Types can learn Ice Beam as well so that's just an idea. Eevee will be the best option next to Zeus. If it is a three on three, then all of them have to pull through."

May nodded appreciatively, impressed by his mindset. Ash had the guts in him to become a strong trainer. She hoped it wouldn't be hindered by the scenes in Pewter though…

"What about you?" May questioned the blonde. Cynthia perked up at that.

"Roselia." She answered automatically. "Fenniken is weak to water and her Psychic abilities are not that honed. Nidoran will be my second Pokémon. And if she falls, then Fenniken will be the finisher."

"You rely on Type Advantage a little too much Cynthia." May said. "It'll help in starting but later on it'll only hinder you." Cynthia considered that. "You can start with Fenniken to test the Gym Leader and then send in Roselia. Fenniken needs experience against Water Types anyway."

"Maybe." Cynthia murmured. She stretched, yawning. "Well. I'm all for sleep. Chat you two later." She walked to her tent, walking in and zipping it close.

Ash got up as well. "I'm going to take a nap too. Ok?" May nodded. "Night." Ash walked to his tent and, closing it, joined Cynthia in her slumber.

May sat there, looking at the shrouded figure of Mt. Moon with a weary glance. The attackers in Pewter would most probably be in there with a stronghold. If she went through it with her tutees, then…

May shook her head to clear any doubts. "They have to face the world sooner or later anyway." She spoke to herself. "Besides, they won't lay a hand on them, not while I'm with them."

Her mind flashed back to Pewter, when the man in black with an 'R' had easily attacked Pewter and got away intact. Ash and Cynthia were this close to being fatally harmed by that Sneasel. They barely came out unscathed.

What did they need in Pewter though? What was so important that they had to show such violence, blowing up the gym? May's hand idly played with her hair while she considered her options.

Eventually, her mind burned out its juice and she dropped asleep mid thoughts. Resting her head on the rocky ground, May curled up, the slightly chilly air making her shiver.

Xxx

May stirred, feeling tired despite her nap. The brunette felt movement around her and tensed. "May?" Someone shook the brunette. "May? Are you ok?"

"Lemme sleep." May mumbled in her sleep. The figure shook her again before sighing. A light jolt passed through her body and she woke up abruptly.

"Wha?" May gasped, getting up. She saw Cynthia looking at her with a concerned look, Zeus at her side. "Cynthia? What are you doing here?" May questioned, composing her hair.

"I should be asking that." Cynthia retorted, gesturing to the wide expanse around her. "What are you doing here?" May looked around and saw nothing but rocks.

"Oh." May said, sitting up straight. "I fell asleep while thinking." She muttered.

"What?" Cynthia said, having missed her murmurs.

"Nothing." May groaned and stood up, looking at the dark sky above her. "What time is it?"

"Four AM." Cynthia replied. May sighed, her mind bleary.

"What are you doing up this late?" The brunette questioned, trying to make heads or tails of her current predicament.

"Zeus woke me up." Cynthia answered calmly. "He feels like he's almost about to evolve now. The energy is keeping him all giddy."

"Oh." May scratched the mouse behind his ear. "Let's wake your trainer up, shall we?" Zeus nodded and May got up, groaning as her legs nearly gave away.

Cynthia was at her side, helping her up. "Are you okay May?"

"I'm as okay as someone who's woken at four." May replied grumpily. Cynthia flushed. "It's okay." She staggered towards Ash's tent, her mind hurting.

Waking Ash up as well, which was a bit harder than waking May let me tell you, the trio were seated around Zeus. "You look half dead." May commented to Ash.

"Better than your hair." Ash joked. May blushed at that. Her hair weren't in their best condition at the moment. Eevee and Zeus were fighting currently, trying to rile up Zeus's evolution.

At last, it happened. Zeus's entire form was enveloped in a bright white glow. His form shifted as the trainers watched in awe. When the glow died down, in place of a Pichu stood a Pikachu.

Zeus let out a blast of electricity in happiness, Eevee nuzzling him in joy. That, in turn, made her paralyzed due to Zeus's Nuzzle. "Congrats Zeus!" Ash smiled.

"Let's continue to Mt. Moon." May said suddenly. "Get prepared. We'll be leaving in an hour."

"In an hour?" Cynthia began. "Isn't that early?" May nodded.

"That's why we're leaving." May walked into her tent to get ready, leaving the duo to wonder.

"Something's up Ash." Cynthia told the raven haired boy. "She's too edgy ever since we left Pewter."

"I noticed it too." Ash replied. "Maybe she's feeling paranoid due to the scene in Pewter."

"Maybe." Cynthia sighed. "I have a theory on this Ash." This perked Ash's attention. "Do you remember she was late for my match? Maybe she found something about Mt. Moon during that."

"That may be it." Ash trailed. "But I think we're overlooking things. For all we know, she may be feeling the aftereffects of Pewter. Seeing as we-"

"You mean you." Cynthia interrupted an annoyed look on her face. While she did appreciate the fact Ash pushed her out of danger's way, he himself was injured due to that. Cynthia didn't like being saved. She wasn't some princess or damsel in distress!

"Yeah, I got hurt during it. Maybe she's feeling sorry." Ash suggested. Cynthia exhaled.

"Let's get ready Ash. We'll confront her later." He nodded. They went their separate ways, preparing themselves for the early travelling.

Xxx

"Here we are." Ash announced. The trio stared at the gate in front of Mt. Moon, where a guard stood with an Arcanine. "Mt. Moon." May cracked her neck to get rid of the cranks in it and straightened.

"Let's go." The trio walked to the guard and stopped in front of him.

"Identity." He said bored. The trio introduced themselves, and were handed forms. May had already told them about this. That was part of the reason she was a bit wary of passing Mt Moon.

They finished the forms and entered the mountain. In front of them lay a tunnel, lit up by various lights. "That sucks." Ash frowned.

"What sucks?" May questioned.

"That the League won't take responsibility if any trainer dies inside the mountain." Cynthia replied. "Sinnoh never does any of this… as far as I know."

"The Government may have changed rules for all we know." Ash retorted a little annoyed as he always was when Kanto and Sinnoh were compared. "The same could've occurred here."

"Actually," May interrupted. "The rule is in implement for a long time. So it's pretty well known that crossing Mt Moon means risking your life without any backup."

"Oh." Ash said, realizing the full brunt of damage and risk there. No even Viridian Forest was that frightening!

"Don't be worried though." May cut in. "I'll be there. Nothing wrong will happen." ' _I really hope so._ '

"Someone's confident." Cynthia joked. "C'mon. Let's go. I didn't wake up so soon to chit chat."

The trio began into the well-lit tunnel. "For someplace so scary, they sure made it easy." Cynthia commented.

"But this disrupts the Pokémon and their natural habitats." May scowled. "Zubat in particular hate light. That's the reason they're secluded to dark caves."

"Maybe the League has a reason for this." Ash suggested. May shrugged.

"They may have. They may not." She said. "We may never know." Ash let out Zeus, both for comfort purposes and for him to get used to his body more.

Sure, when Pokémon evolved, they felt it natural to move. However, to achieve extreme dexterity and the full use of their body, they needed practice.

Ash released Eevee as well to keep Zeus Company. "So May." Ash began. "You'll be departing after Cerulean?"

"Yeah." May agreed. "Our paths will most probably separate by then." That captured the attention of Cynthia.

"Where will you head from there anyway?" She questioned. May shrugged.

"I'm expected to meet a friend there. From then I wonder where we'll head." She answered.

"Would you leave your Kanto journey if you go to some other region?" Ash questioned. May pondered that. Would she?

"Probably not." May responded after a moment. "How will we battle in the Indigo League if I do so?"

"True." Ash admitted. "I'll hold that to you." May grinned.

"I'm sure you will." Cynthia stared at the walls of the tunnel. They seemed pretty solid. At least she wouldn't have to worry about the whole mountain collapsing.

' _The same could've been said for the gym.'_ Her mind rang. Cynthia winced. Now she was feeling claustrophobic. She just hoped that they would get out of Mt. Moon soon.

She wasn't the only one feeling that. A certain brunette felt the need as well.

Xxx

"Thunderbolt!" Ash ordered. Zeus unleashed the blast towards Skylar who endured the hit. The Pidgeotto squawked as electricity coursed through her body but managed to endure it.

"Dig!" Eevee burst from under Zeus, hitting him in an uppercut. Zeus was sent flying back but recovered. May had told him that training his Pokémon against types they were weak against would increase their toughness.

"Nice one guys." Ash congratulated once they all recovered. "Zeus and Eevee. You two are sparring. Iron Tail and Quick Attack. Nothing else. Skylar, you'll be with me." Leaving the two to their own devices, Ash and the avian walked away.

"Hey Ash!" May called after him. "Where are you going?" She asked, hands on her hips.

"I'm going to go try to find a Drillbur." Ash responded. "My pokedex says they are rare around these parts but can be found."

"What did I tell you about expanding your team too quickly?" She questioned.

"It's just an opportunity I cannot let pass!" Ash protested. "Besides, I'm paying all of them equal attention aren't I?" May tried to think of a proper response to that statement but gave in.

"Ok. But I'll come with you." She declared. Her Pokémon were ready to move, looking up from their bowls, but she gestured them to continue and gave a slight nod towards Cynthia. They knew what to do.

Cynthia was busy reading a book she had taken from her home. It told her more about Fire Types and ways to train them. It would help her bond with Fenniken more.

"We'll be back in some time." May hollered to the blonde and they left. "You'll try to catch a Drillbur with Skylar only?" She asked.

"Yeah. Figured she'll more than enough for a Drillbur." Ash replied.

"Don't get too cocky." May warned. "Where could we find a Drillbur though?"

"They stay around here." Ash muttered. "But where is the question." Ash said.

"Drillbur are rare." May admitted. "We'll be lucky to even glance at one. They're mole Pokémon. They'll most probably be… underground." She said when she felt movement from under her.

"There it is!" Ash exclaimed, pointing at a mole like Pokémon. The Drillbur spotted him and quickly scurried away. "Oh no you don't!" Skylar shot from his shoulder towards the mole.

Drillbur spun like a drill and dug under the ground, escaping Skylar's talons easily. The Pidgeotto growled in anger before flying back to Ash. Ash consoled her with a scratch at her neck.

"Don't worry." Ash soothed. "We'll find more later."

It turned out wrong, however, as they wandered for about an hour, finding no Drillbur. That surprised Ash. The pokedex said they were rare but not that much so.

"Where are they?" Ash snarled in annoyance. "I can't find any!" May frowned.

"We should get back by now." She commented. "I-" She stopped when she heard a sound. Ash began to speak but May hushed him. "Hear that?"

Ash strained his ears, trying to find it. It was faint, almost inaudible, but it was present. "Is that…" The duo began to walk towards the song. The closer they went, the closer the voice of a rushing river rang in their ears.

"There it is!" Ash said, pointing to a powerful stream running through Mt Moon by his position atop a tall cliff. "Powerful, isn't it?" Ash commented. May nodded back.

"If we're here…" May mumbled. She pulled out her pokedex and zoomed in her pre downloaded map of Mt Moon. "Then we're at the heart of Mt Moon! This river leads directly to Cerulean."

"Really?" Ash stretched. "How did we reach here is the question." May frowned, a nagging suspicion rattling in her mind.

"Let's get back to camp." She commented. "Something doesn't feel right here." The two turned and prepared to leave when the ground under them exploded.

It blasted them off their feet, directly in the path of the rushing water. Skylar shrieked and grabbed Ash by his arm, digging her talons in his arm by accident.

"May!" Ash yelled as Skylar threw him at the banks of the river. The brunette hit the water, submerging with a splash. Ash reached for his pokéball when realizing he had none.

Skylar took off from his shoulder, opening her wings as she glided over the water. Using her Keen Eye ability, she spotted a strand of May's brown hair and leapt with the grace of a predator.

Clutching her claws tightly to May's arm, she began to drag her against the current. The brunette coughed up water, trying to breathe, but failed.

"A little more!" Ash yelled. Skylar screeched with effort and managed to reach near the edge. Ash took off his jacket and jumped in the water. The current immediately tried to wash him away but he grabbed May and fought against it, quickly reached the edge and climbing out of it.

Skylar panted with exhaustion, eyes drooping. Ash returned her back to her pokéball, thanking her for her effort. He shook May, helping her up.

The brunette coughed out water, wiping her eyes and brushing her wet bangs out of her face. She tried to speak before coughing again. "Easy." Ash consoled her.

"What happened?" May wheezed. "How did the land just… explode?"

"Maybe I can answer that." The two turned to look at the source and found a man with turquoise hair sneering at them. A Houndoom was next to him, flames licking his maw.

"Proton." May scowled, getting back up. "What are you doing here?"

"Chilling." He joked. "We meet again May Maple. I thought we would never see each other again."

"The feeling's mutual." May said, standing in front of Ash. She grabbed a pokéball on her waist. "I think Mightyena would like seeing you again!"

She threw the pokéball and her grey hyena came out, howling and snarling at the sight of Houndoom. "I thought as much." Proton chuckled.

"Ash. Get out of here." May whispered to him. "I'll handle him."

"But-" Ash was interrupted.

"Go." May fixed Proton with a stare. If that… that creep was here, than his entire team would be as well. "Get Cynthia and leave Mt Moon as soon as possible. I'll meet you at Cerulean."

Ash's eyes widened. May was ordering him to leave her alone in the face of that strange dude? He followed her order though, running away as fast as he could.

"Idiot." Proton mumbled. "Okay Houndoom. Use Flamethrower!" Houndoom unleashed the attack spontaneously towards Mightyena. The hyena countered with a Dark Pulse, the two exploding.

"Double Team into Feint Attack!" May ordered. Mightyena took the advantage of the smoke and rushed inside it, coming out in a dozen copies of himself.

"That won't work!" Houndoom quickly unleashed smog and sparked it with Flamethrower. The area around him exploded violently, throwing Mightyena away and poisoning him as well. "Crunch!"

"Façade!" May smirked. Mightyena righted himself and tackled into the approaching Houndoom with a silvery glow. Houndoom bit down on his neck as he passed him, flinging him back.

"Hyper Beam." Mightyena didn't have time to move when the violent beam exploded in his face, flinging him at May's feet.

"Mightyena!" She called out in concern. The hyena tried to get up when Houndoom unleashed a never ending stream of flames on him. May stumbled back at the searing heat, and could only look helplessly.

"Protect into Dig!" She formulated. A green barrier erected between Mightyena and Houndoom, and the former dug into the ground just before the Protect broke.

"Flamethrower!" Houndoom roared and unleashed the flames. The brunette's eyes widened when she realized the target wasn't' Mightyena.

It was May.

"Ah!" May _shrieked_ as the flames enveloped her, forcing her down to her knees. Proton chuckled maniacally.

"Don't let up!" He smirked. "Let's see how that hyena battles now!" Predictably, Mightyena came out and hit Houndoom with a Dig powered Façade, jaws snapping around his neck.

Houndoom unleashed smog and used Fire Fang to light it up, his Flash Fire protecting him while Mightyena suffered the worst from it. Proton chuckled maniacally as both the trainer and Pokémon struggled against their injuries.

"Finish them Houndoom." He ordered. "Hyper Beam."

Xxx

Ash ran as fast as he could, ignoring the explosions behind him. His heart pumped at an alarming rate, adrenaline coursing through his body. He reached the campsite within fifteen minutes, collapsing when he reached there.

"Ash!" Cynthia hurried to his side. "Are you okay?" Ash took a moment to gather his breathe before speaking.

"May." He began. "She's in grave danger. Some guy named Proton attacked us!" Cynthia got to her feet immediately. May's Pokémon perked up at that.

Gardevoir extracted May's location from his mind and she, Jolteon, and Ninetails vanished in a burst of light. "They'll save May for sure." Cynthia sighed in relief. "I'm sure of it."

"I'm not." Ash responded. Cynthia looked at him in surprise. "His Houndoom looked very strong. And judging from the explosions behind me, he and May were evenly matched."

"May only had Mightyena with her though." Cynthia sighed. "And a Houndoom has a better performance against Mightyena because of his Fire Typing."

"I only hope they are enough to save May." Ash said. The duo waited for May's Pokémon to flash back, each second passing feeling like an hour.

"Please be careful May." Ash whispered.

Xxx

May's eyes snapped open as she saw the destructive beam of Hyper Beam raced towards her. She leapt to the side, narrowly missing the blast.

It struck the wall behind her, breaking it down. "You're better than I thought." Proton sneered. "Capable of walking even when suffering such burns."

"Bitch please." May panted. "You really thought I'll be that defenseless?" Proton snapped his fingers and Houndoom unleashed another Flamethrower.

"Well yeah." Proton said. "Your Mightyena is down and you're out of Pokémon." May chuckled despite her condition even as the Flamethrower raced towards her.

"Why did you think I send Ash away instead of fighting with him?" May questioned. Just as she said that, a thick barrier stretched in front of her, blocking the flames.

"Gr." Proton gritted his teeth as Gardevoir appeared besides her. A Thunderbolt struck Houndoom and forced him back. Jolteon appeared as a speedy blur and tackled Proton into the water.

Ninetails appeared above Houndoom and slammed her steeled nine tails into his face. Proton quickly grabbed something on his wrist and teleported out of the water, his Houndoom going along.

Gardevoir tried to intercept but May stopped her with a gesture. "Can you pinpoint his location?" Gardevoir nodded. "Then be ready. Ninetails and Jolteon. You ready to bang some crooks?"

They nodded. May returned Mightyena back to his Pokémon and nodded at the Embrace Pokémon. "Teleport us to his position. Everyone, unleash your attacks."

They nodded. With a flash of light, the trio of Pokémon and one trainer vanished.

Xxx

Blaziken perked up. He said something to Eevee before he and Dustox also disappeared in a flash of light. Ash and Cynthia stood up in alarm. Blaziken began gesturing and yipping something to Ash which he half understood.

"You mean May needed them?" Eevee nodded, pointing with her tail. "What do you mean by that?" She pulled Ash's pant leg and began to gesture their bags. "We should move on?" Eevee nodded.

"What do you say?" Ash asked Cynthia. The blonde frowned in thought.

"I say we should move." She quickly picked her bag and returned her Pokémon, leaving only Fenniken out. Ash nodded and did the same with his as well.

With only Pikachu and Fenniken out, the duo continued their traversing through the mountain. A bit paranoid due to the recent events and the lack of an experienced trainer with them, Ash and Cynthia were on edge.

"So…" Ash began conversationally, both to break the awkward silence and to kill the queasiness in his stomach. "What are your training plans?"

"Mine?" Cynthia asked back while glancing around.

"Obviously." Ash rolled his eyes.

"I'm thinking of training Roselia better in harnessing her power and teaching Fenniken some other type moves as well. I also want to train Nidoran better. Her ability to poison the opponent will come in handy in the upcoming battles." Cynthia informed him.

"Those are some nice plans." Ash complimented. "I thought of having Zeus practice Iron Tail on the various Rock Types around Mt Moon but that has to be put on the backburner for now."

"Zeus will learn them in no time." Cynthia assured him. "Eevee knows the attacks and will help him. The thing you should worry about is his usage of his electricity. Thunderbolt won't help if he runs out of juice too quickly."

"True." Ash said. "Let's have Roselia and Zeus fight against each other once we reach Cerulean. You'll learn Roselia's style better and Zeus will benefit from fighting against other Pokémon."

Cynthia made a checking motion in the air. "Anything else sir?" She joked.

"Yeah actually." Ash blinked. "I want your help."

"What do you want?"

"My mom's birthday is right around the corner. I want to buy her a souvenir from Cerulean." Ash confessed. "The problem is I don't know much about gifts. You always help me buy gifts for her. Can you help me now as well?"

"Sure." Cynthia smiled. "Good thing you reminded me about that. I want to buy something for her as well."

"Any ideas?" Ash asked. "That way we'll be more successful in the search."

"How about something crafted from a Water stone?" Cynthia suggested. "They make beautiful sculptures from those."

"Aren't they expensive?" Ash questioned.

"So? We can get some money from our win against the Cerulean Gym Leader and if we combine both of ours, I'm pretty sure we can get one." She paused. "That is, if you want to gift her something together."

"Nah." Ash said. "I'm okay with that." He grinned. "Nice thought Cynthia. Sometimes I wonder what I would do without you." He complimented.

Cynthia blushed. "You'll do something." She replied, chuckling. "Just not as good as with me."

The rest of the walk was spent peacefully. They chatted away, any fear or edginess disappearing as their years of friendship brought easy talk. Including this one…

"Hey Cynth." Ash began. "Remember the time when you refused to cut your birthday cake until I arrived?"

"Huh?" Cynthia frowned in concentration. "I honestly don't." She confessed.

"Maybe you'll remember this way." Ash said a mischievous look on his face. He began to mock her voice. "I won't eat or drink anything until I see Ash! He should be at my birthday before anyone else. If he doesn't arrive within five minutes, I won't cut my cake or talk to anyone."

Cynthia blushed a deep red, the memory accompanied by something else as well. She playfully pushed Ash, pouting in mock annoyance. "You hurt my feelings." She whined, pretending to clutch her heart.

"Oh Cynth." Ash said, spreading his arm around her shoulder and pulling her in a one sided hug. "Oh my God. That is so embarrassing." Ash continued in a high pitched female voice.

"I hate you." Cynthia muttered.

"I love you too." Ash chuckled. Cynthia punched him in the ribs making him bounce back. "Do you remember the-"

"-time Gary stole your clothes when you were bathing in our Summer Camp and had to walk around all day in just your underwear?" Cynthia reminded innocently. Ash had the grace to look embarrassed at that.

"At least I didn't throw a tantrum." Ash shot back. "Fuzz bucket." He joked. Cynthia raised an eyebrow.

"Ashy-boy." She retorted.

"Bookworm." Ash snickered.

"Slowpoke." Cynthia growled.

"Blondie." Ash chuckled. Cynthia lost it. She tackled Ash to the ground and began to mock strangle him. Zeus, who was laughing at their whole argument, jumped out just in time.

Cynthia began to tickle Ash making the Kantonian laugh. "St-sto-stop!" Ash said between laughs. Cynthia grinned mischievously.

"Apologize." She smirked. Ash shook his head wildly. Cynthia began to tickle him faster. "Just say 'sorry Mistress Cynthia. I won't say anything again. I'm a chicken.' And I'll let you breathe."

Ash hand reached near her shoulders and he began to tickle her there. It was the blonde's turn to laugh uncontrollably. Ash quickly pushed her to the ground, sitting on top of her and having his way with her.

"I-I q-qu-qui-t!" Cynthia said in short bursts. "You win!" Ash stopped tickling her and dropped to the ground next to her. The blonde, a little shaky due to the tickling, panted.

"Who's the winner now?" Ash questioned, chuckling. Cynthia puffed her cheeks.

"Shut up." She grumbled well naturedly. "How did you-"

"Know about your ticklish spot?" Ash interrupted. "We're friends from the age of five Cynthia. I know everything about you."

"Really?" Cynthia asked a bit surprised. "What's my favorite food?"

"Ice cream." Ash responded.

"My favorite book?" She inquired.

"How to Become a Successful Trainer." Ash responded.

"Favorite elder?" She questioned.

"My mom." Ash grinned.

"Favorite region?" Cynthia asked, leaning in.

"Sinnoh." Ash said truthfully.

"Most hated friend?" Cynthia said, smirking.

"Gary Oak." Ash smiled.

"Best friend?" The blonde ended.

"A-" Ash paused. "Leaf Verdant." Internally, he was rolling in laughter. This was one topic that pestered Cynthia endlessly.

"Wrong." Cynthia said face set in a scowl. "He's Ryan." Ash's amusement ended quickly at that.

"Oh." Ash said after a moment. He felt a strange emotion burst inside him at that guy's name. Ash's fist clenched involuntarily. The two stared at each other for a few seconds, during which Cynthia's scowl slowly broke into a smile.

"Jealous much?" She joked. Ash took a deep breathe. Cynthia knew just how jealous Ash got at the mention of Ryan. That wasn't to say Ryan wouldn't get jealous either. If those two met one day…

"That wasn't funny." Ash grumbled. Cynthia chuckled at the sour look on his face.

"True, but your reaction was." She smirked. Ash got up, dusting his clothes. Cynthia got up as well, dusting her clothes. She felt a little… well, annoyed, that her clothes were crinkled and dusty due to their fun.

"We're continuing?" Ash questioned. Cynthia gave him a cheeky smile.

"Sure…" She trailed off. She fixed her target and with one quick leap, snatched Ash's hat off his head. Ash came to realization at that.

"Gimme that!" Ash ordered. Cynthia waved the hat in front of him teasingly.

"Get it yourself." She began to run away making Ash give chase. Zeus and Fenniken gave each other exasperated looks before running after them.

"Come and get it!" Cynthia teased. Ash quickly reached her. There were two reasons for this. One was that Ash was faster than her. Second was that Cynthia… well,

She tripped.

Cynthia saw the ground rush to meet her face first and shut her eyes closed. Ash gave a wild grip and managed to grab her around the waist. Cynthia jerked before being pulled back to her feet.

"Gotcha!" Ash cheered, fixing his hat back on his head. Cynthia panted, their fun earlier having winded her. The blonde relaxed in Ash's grip, resting her head against his shoulder.

"Damn." She breathed, turning to face him. "You sure know how to give a run for someone's money. Literally."

"You're so heavy!" Ash commented, forcing Cynthia to stand on her feet. Cynthia puffed her cheeks out, used to Ash's jokes about her weight by now.

"Feeling tired?" The blonde asked. Ash nodded, wiping some sweat from his head. "Let's have some rest before we continue. Okay?" The Kantonian nodded and sat down. Cynthia sat down next to him.

Ash used his backpack as a makeshift pillow and rested his head on it. Cynthia curled up at his side, falling into a nap almost immediately. Ash chuckled at that. She was more tired than she let on.

Ash put a protective arm around her and joined her in slumber.

Xxx

After a week of travelling, our heroic duo was tired and a bit annoyed at the long journey. Their condition was similar to when they were traversing Viridian Forest. At least this time they expected it and were handling it a bit better.

Only a bit. Mind You.

"Oh man." Ash said, sitting down. He brought out a water bottle from his bag and opened it. He gulped some down, wiping sweat from his forehead.

"We still have two day's travel ahead of us." Cynthia informed him. Ash grumbled and put his bottle back in his bag. "C'mon, let's continue." She offered Ash a hand.

The raven-haired boy took it and the duo continued. After about two more hours of walk, both paused and decided to take a rest. Ash collapsed on the ground, taking off his jacket.

"Tired much?" Cynthia asked teasingly.

"Yeah." Ash grunted. "What about you?"

"I'm okay." She replied. "Other than my legs aching and being completely sweaty. Yeah." Ash sweat dropped.

"Two more days of walk?" Ash moaned, glancing at his pokedex. "Man." Cynthia agreed with that. Could they really manage two more days of travel? It wasn't the distance that annoyed them or burned them out of energy.

It was the terrain.

Being completely rocky, that meant it was uneven and jagged at times. Rocks were littered haphazardly across the ground, being as tiny as pebbles and as large as big boulders. They had to be careful with each step.

They had met their fair share of trainers who gave them easy fights. Eevee, Skylar, and Zeus easily picked off opponents while Cynthia showed grace with her Roselia, Nidoran, and Fenniken.

"Do you think we'll meet May?" Ash asked suddenly. Cynthia processed the question. They hadn't seen their brunette friend in quite a while. Was she already in Cerulean or was she…

"Miss me?" They two turned and gasped at what they say. May stood there, a grin on her face. Her clothes seemed damaged and her skin showed light burns, with the addition of a small cut mark on her right cheek.

"May!" The two exclaimed, running forwards and enveloping the older and taller trainer in a hug. May chuckled and hugged them back. "We can hug and catch up all we want once we reach Cerulean."

Gardevoir, who was at her side but the two trainers hadn't noticed her, touched May on her shoulder and they were teleported out of Mt Moon.

"Go take a break, eat something, and freshen up. We'll talk later. Ok?" May commanded. They nodded and, giving Nurse Joy their pokéballs and registering a room, walked inside.

' _Thank good they're out of Mt Moon.'_ May thought. _'If only they knew…'_

Xxx

 **Sorry for the abrupt ending but I had to finish it somewhere. Hope you liked the slightly light, full of dialogue chapter. We went deeper in Ash's and Cynthia's relationship as friends and a bit of May's foreshadowing.**


	5. Cerulean Blues

**Here it is! The next update to this story! R &R my loyal Fan Fiction family! Thank you for the outstanding love you showed me by only giving so many reviews!**

 **So no excuses for the late upload other than lack of time. Got a lot of work right now. It's only because of motivation was I able to finish this chapter at the moment.**

Xxx

 **Cerulean Blues!**

"So," May began after swallowing her mouthful. "You most probably want to know what happened after we separated." Ash and Cynthia nodded, helping themselves to some of the various foods in the Pokémon Center Cafeteria.

"I and Proton go way back." She continued. "I don't want to talk about it much. Just know that he's not a guy to be around. If you see him, get out of there and contact the authorities." She told them sternly.

"But-" Ash tried.

"No messing around with him." She repeated. "Do I make that clear?" Ash nodded reluctantly. He wanted to argue but May's voice left no room for argument.

"Whatever happened with him and me is something I don't want to talk about." May told them. "We fought and my Pokémon managed to hold him back-"

" _Hold him back?_ You mean he gave you such a hard time?" Cynthia asked in surprise.

"There's a reason I'm asking you not to get involved with you." May replied. _'But knowing him. He'll get involved with you instead.'_ She inwardly winced at that.

"And what did that dude mean by saying 'Are You Hiring' in Pewter?" Ash remembered.

"Do you know about the recently introduced Clan System?" May questioned. They shook their heads. "It'll be introduced in Kanto later I think then. Maybe after the League."

"What is it anyway?" Cynthia questioned.

"Clan System?" May repeated. Cynthia and Ash nodded. "I'll let Professor Oak tell you that himself. He knows much more about it than me anyway."

"Oh." Ash said in disappointment. "Anyway, I'm going to go train for the upcoming Gym Battle. You coming?" He asked Cynthia. The blonde nodded.

"I'm coming with you as well." May said, getting up. "You'll need some tips on how to handle Misty and her agile Water Types."

Soon after arriving in Cerulean, May had arrived there way earlier than Ash and Cynthia for some reason, the brunette had found out the identity of the Gym Leader and researched on her. Finding and formulating strategies, she decided to help her tutees out as well.

The trio walked outside the Pokémon center, their Pokémon following them. Well, those who were inside to begin with. May's preferred the natural scenery while Ash and Cynthia's were inside.

"What's your lineup?" May questioned them. Ash replied first, as usual.

"Eevee, Zeus, and then Skylar." May nodded. She turned to Cynthia expectantly.

"Fenniken, Roselia, and then Nidoran." The blonde said. "Fenniken will be the Pokémon to test the leader and find out her style. Roselia will most probably finish her up and Nidoran is backup just in case."

"Ok." May stretched. "Let's go to the Cerulean Peak. We can find some Water Types there and train against them accordingly." They nodded.

"Sounds like a plan." Ash agreed.

"Let's go then!"

Xxx

Cerulean Peak was a bank of the river they had seen in Mt Moon. A lot of Pokémon naturally were there, ranging from Magikarp to the rare Seadra. Ash planned to catch one of the latter.

"Here we are." May announced. The smell of salt water infiltrated their nostrils and they felt relaxed. May, seeing her tutees slack, lightly slapped the back of their heads. "We're here to train. Not relax."

They nodded. "Ash. Eevee and Skylar need experience against Water Types. Zeus can handle himself fine with his Type Advantage. He just needs to get used to them." She turned to the blonde.

"Same case with Roselia. Fenniken can train against her Type Disadvantage for experience you'll need in future. Nidoran can get used to her new moves against them."

"If you find a tough Water Type or want to capture one, do. You already have bonded well with your Pokémon and it's time to extend your capacity as well."

"So let's begin!"

Xxx

"Eevee! Swift!" Eevee yipped and jumped in the air, firing off star shaped projectiles towards the Seadra in front of them. The Seadra snorted and fired off a powerful Water Gun, the pressured water blasting through the stars and hitting Eevee hard.

Eevee cried out in pain and landed on the ground, panting. She got back up though, and snarled at the Water Type. "Shadow Ball!" Eevee fired off the ball quickly but Seadra submerged himself in the water, letting it pass over him harmlessly.

He came out seconds later with a Water Pulse, one Eevee barely dodged with Quick Attack. Ash toyed with her pokéball, thinking of sending in Zeus instead.

He followed up when the Seadra blasted her away with another Water Pulse. Quickly returning his starter, Ash called out Zeus. The Seadra's spikes bristled at his appearance.

He quickly hid himself in the water and made to escape. "Oh no you don't!" Ash snarled. "Zeus! Quick Attack towards him!" The Pikachu burst into motion, running full speed towards him.

He ran straight into the water, wincing a little when his fur got wet, but didn't care and tackled straight into Seadra. The Seadra whinnied, being a sea _horse_ and all, and unleashed a point blank Water Gun.

Zeus squealed in pain at that and his cheeks sparked. The Electric Mouse unleashed a powerful blast of electricity. Seadra yelled in pain and squirmed but Zeus quickly Nuzzled him, paralyzing him.

"Bring him out!" Ash ordered. Zeus bit down on his head horn and began to swim back towards land. Seadra tried to get out of his grasp but his paralysis, plus the never ending voltage coursing through him, stopped him.

Zeus reached the shore and flung him out. Seadra hit the ground hard and tried to get up. Zeus remedied it easily with a Thunder Shock. Seadra fainted at that.

"Go pokéball!" Ash threw the spherical object. It struck Seadra and sucked him in. Zeus shook his wet fur to get rid of the water droplets on it and scampered up to Ash's shoulder.

The pokéball containing the weakened Seadra tinged, signifying his capture. Ash picked it up, smiling victoriously. He saw Cynthia approach him, clad in a decent bikini. They were drenched in water most of the time due to training and so spent most time in swimsuits.

"Congrats on the new capture." Cynthia complimented. Ash smiled back at her. "Seadra are rare Pokémon. And hard to catch too. You're lucky."

"Lucky or talented?" Ash questioned.

"Whichever you like." She shrugged. "You done with training?" She questioned.

"Kind of." Ash responded. "Eevee is tired and I need to eat as well. Want to go?" Cynthia nodded.

Fifteen minutes later they were at the Pokémon Center, changed and taking lunch. Talk came easily to them and talk they did. "Are you going to challenge the Leader today?" Cynthia asked. Ash shook his head.

"I need to train Seadra a bit more and only then I will." Seeing her surprised look, he continued. "The next gyms after this are Suge and Erika. Both of them specialize in types stronger than water. This is the only gym he can have his big debut at. At least in the near future."

"Sounds reasonable." She agreed. "Well. I'm going to challenge him today. You coming?" Ash stared at her.

"Me missing on one of your Gym Battles?" He asked incredulously. "Never in a million years!"

"That settles it." She shrugged. "We'll head over there after half an hour. After my Pokémon get back in tip top condition."

"I'll take some pointers and scan up Seadra then." Ash continued. They nodded again. Seemed like a plan.

"Where's May?" Cynthia asked suddenly.

"She left." Ash replied after a moment. Seeing Cynthia's look, he continued. "She said the friend she was here for had arrived and she had to leave urgently."

"She could've waited until our battle." Cynthia pouted, hurt. Ash nodded in agreement. She could have. But she didn't.

"Oh well." Her best friend smiled. "I'm here for you am I not?"

"That's true." A thought occurred to her suddenly. "Hey. Shouldn't I catch a Water Type as well? They'll be helpful later on."

"You should." Ash replied. "We'll need some against Blaine in Cinnabar Island."

"That's the seventh badge Ash." Cynthia chided. "We'll have plenty of Pokémon by then."

"Hey. We should preplan everything." Ash retorted. "There's no telling what could happen in the future. What if we don't find a Water Type later on?"

"We can use a Rock or Ground Type instead." Cynthia replied. "They're strong against Fire Types as well."

"Oh yeah…" Ash realized. "I always forget about them. I wish I could've caught a Drillbur in Mt Moon though…"

"We can always revisit there later on." Cynthia consoled him. "I want-" She was cut off as Nurse Joy approached them.

"Cynthia Carolina?" She questioned. The blonde nodded. "There's a phone call for you. His name is Ryan."

"Thank you. I'll be there in a minute." Nurse Joy walked away leaving a giddy blonde behind.

"He's your friend from Sinnoh right?" Ash checked. She nodded. "Go chat. I'll finish my lun-"

"Actually." Cynthia interrupted. "I want you to meet him." Ash stared at her at that. "Why? Is that a problem?" She asked innocently.

"You and I both know that I don't want to meet Ryan Cynthia." Ash said wearily.

"Why?" The blonde questioned.

"I just don't want to." Ash sighed.

"Why not?" She pressed. "What's wrong with meeting one of my friends?"

"I just don't want to! Okay?" Ash snarled. Cynthia recoiled a bit at that. Ash winced. "I'm sorry. It's just…" Cynthia nodded wordlessly and walked away.

Ash face palmed hard. "Great…" He muttered. "Nice way to go Ash."

Cynthia walked over to the booth and sat down in the chair. Ryan's face greeted her. "Hey Cynthia!" He acknowledged. "How are you?"

"I'm fine Ryan." She replied gloomily.

"Why the long face?" Ryan questioned. "Anything bad happen?"

"It's nothing." She sighed. "Ash and I had an argument. Nothing major." Ryan's look darkened at that.

"What was the topic?" Cynthia explained the ordeal quickly. "Sounds like one jealous guy to me."

"What would he be jealous of?" The blonde asked defensively. Sure, Ash and she had a fight but that didn't mean that she'll let anyone bad mouth him!

"Are you really asking me this Cynthia?" Ryan asked incredulously. "Leave it. How's Roselia?"

"She's great." The blond replied. "She learned Synthesis and Energy Ball recently."

"That's good." Ryan smiled. "Any other improvement?" Cynthia shook her head. "Oh well, she'll be a real beast once she's a Roserade. Until then, keep unlocking her hidden potential."

"Cynthia?" The blonde peered over her shoulder. Ash stood there with a nervous look on his face. Ryan tried to see him through Cynthia.

"What do you want?" Cynthia asked a little cross.

"Wanted to say hi to your _best friend_." Ash responded. Cynthia nodded and made space for him. Ash arched his back and looked at Ryan's face. "Hi Ryan. Cynthia had a lot of praise for you."

"Likewise." Ryan said with a curt nod. The tension was visible in the air between two trainers/males who didn't like the other. "Ok then. Chat you later Cynthia. I have some work to do."

"Ok Ryan! Bye." Ryan cut off the call leaving the two staring at a dark, blank screen. "That was interesting." She commented.

"Talk about jealous." Ash muttered under his breath. Cynthia stared at him.

"I heard that." She commented.

"You weren't supposed to." Ash chided. "I thought you knew better than to eavesdrop on my thoughts."

"They weren't thoughts." Cynthia reminded. "You were whispering them out loud." Ash blinked.

"Oh. Ok then." Cynthia face palmed. "C'mon now. Nurse Joy is saying our Pokémon are fully healed. Let's go for your Gym Challenge."

Cynthia nodded. Their brief argument put behind them, the duo walked over to the counter to get their Pokémon.

"Here you are." Nurse Joy said her trademark smile evident on her face. She handed over seven pokéballs, four to Ash and three to Cynthia. "Your Seadra is one powerful specimen." She commented to Ash.

"Really?" Nurse Joy nodded.

"He knows Twister, a Dragon Type move. That means he's already matured enough to evolve into a Kingdra once you show him a Dragon Scale."

"Where can I find one?" Ash queried. Nurse Joy gave him an apologetic look.

"They are very rare here in Kanto. You can search your entire life yet not find one. However," She added seeing the disappointed look on Ash's face. "You can find some in Blackthorn City in Johto. It's known as the City of Dragons."

"In Johto?" Ash repeated. Nurse Joy nodded. "But that's so far away!" He exclaimed.

"We can head over to Johto once we finish our journey in Kanto." Cynthia reminded him. "Or we can visit there once we compete in the Indigo League."

"You're in no hurry anyway." Nurse Joy added. "The more Seadra grows in his current form, the stronger he will be as a Kingdra."

"That's true." Ash sighed. "Oh well. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." He turned to Cynthia. "Let's go have your gym battle shall we?"

Cynthia nodded. The duo turned around in the direction of Cerulean City.

Xxx

Many gyms needed a stable flow of cash to maintain themselves. From repairing the battlefield to paying the staff and the Gym Leader. The Cerulean Gym was no different. While payment from the League would suffice for many, this gym had additional funding as well.

That came in the form of having an aquarium which had all sorts of exotic water Pokémon, which you could gaze over after buying a ticket, and the water ballet shows.

This gym housed the beautiful Sensational Sisters who held shows every other day. Many people of all ages came to the shows, either to gaze over these angelic beauties or to enjoy their skills.

The exterior didn't disappoint either. While the Pewter Gym was imposing, it wasn't overwhelming. The Cerulean Gym on the other hand…

"That's so beautiful." Cynthia whispered in awe. The exterior was nothing short of architectural beauty. From the big, mesmerizing statue of the Cerulean Sisters above the gate to the solar panels arranged intentionally in amazing patterns to the elegant looking gate, it had it all.

"Does the League give this much funding?" Ash questioned. "This has to cost a lot."

"They hold shows all the time," Cynthia reminded. "And there's the aquarium as well. They must have some other way of income as well…" Ash shrugged.

They entered the gym then. The inside had a lot of beautiful and pristine sculptures of water Pokémon. Ash and Cynthia walked forward towards the receptionist.

"Hello there." A blonde receptionist, incredibly beautiful, greeted them. Ash and Cynthia snapped their attention towards her. "You look like trainers. Here for a gym battle?"

"Yup." Cynthia replied. "My name is Cynthia Carolina." The receptionist quickly typed in something and got up.

"And you?" She asked Ash.

"Just tagging along." He replied.

"Follow me." She walked inside the right corridor of the gym, the duo of trainers following her. They went through a few corners before reaching the battlefield.

It was a normal sized battlefield, one made of water with a few floating platforms here and there. On the other side of the field was a female in a swimsuit. Judging by her wet hair and the way the swimsuit clung to her, it was clear she was having a swim before they came.

"Misty!" The receptionist yelled. "The trainer is here. Have fun." She walked off leaving Ash and Cynthia alone.

"Good luck Cynth." Ash mouthed and walked to the stands. Cynthia took a deep breath and tightened her fists.

"Nerves?" Misty asked. Cynthia shook her head. "Afraid?" She shook her head again. "Ready?" Cynthia nodded.

"The battle between me and you will be two-on-two. You can forfeit and substitute mid fight." Misty declared.

"Sounds good." Cynthia answered back.

"I'll choose first." Misty grabbed a pokéball and threw it. Out came a purple starfish like Pokémon with a red core. It gave a weird battle cry and faced Cynthia.

"Roselia! Battle Dance!" Cynthia called out her own Pokémon. The Grass/Poison Type came out and bowed down elegantly. Misty contemplated the foreign Pokémon with interest.

"Interesting Pokémon you have there." She commented. "Starmie, in the water!" Starmie quickly dove from the platform into the water. Cynthia tried to spot her through the water but was unable to.

"Use Growth and then poison the water around you." A green glow wrapped around Roselia as she pointed her bouquet towards the water. Purplish needles hit the water, turning its blue color into purplish.

"Whirlpool." True to the name, the attack turned the place where the water around Roselia into an underwater twister. "Water Pulse." Roselia, who was trying to maintain her balance due to the rocking of the water, was unable to dodge in time.

The compressed water hit her back, sending her stumbling into the water. "Rapid Spin." Roselia cried out in pain as a spinning Starmie slammed into her, sending her further into the water.

"Gr…" Cynthia gritted her teeth as Starmie slammed into Roselia again. "Growth now!" Roselia's form glowed as her powers were boosted again.

Cynthia kept a sharp eye on Starmie's spinning form. A smile tugged on her scarlet lips as the moment came. "Energy Ball followed by Magical Leaf!"

A green ball of energy appeared in front of Roselia. She fired it off, the ball tearing through the water and striking Starmie hard. The Starfish Pokémon was stunned by the twice Growth boosted Energy Ball and couldn't dodge the follow-up Magical Leaf.

"Growth and then Energy Ball towards the bottom!" Roselia formed the ball and fired it after boosting up. The Energy Ball was formidably boosted and exploded violently after hitting the ground.

The shockwave from that propelled Roselia over the water. The Thorn Pokémon landed on one of the plastic platforms and took deep breaths to refuel her lungs.

"Excellent!" Cynthia cheered. "Roselia, use Synthesis!" Roselia glowed and some of her bruises began to heal up.

"Water Pulse." A compressed orb of water blasted Roselia off the platform. Cynthia growled at that until she saw the pink outline around Roselia. "Drown her."

Her eyes widened as Starmie began to do just that. Roselia tried to struggle against the hold but was unable to. "Think harder Princess." Misty called out. "Roselia cannot hold much longer."

Cynthia didn't respond, biting her lower lip in thought. "Roselia cannot fight against Starmie underwater." She said to herself. "But the poison from the toxic water must be working against Starmie by now."

Ash looked at Cynthia with a concerned look. What was she going to do now? Unknown to him, Cynthia was thinking the exact thinking. _'I need Roselia for my strategy. I cannot let her fall so easily…'_

Misty looked at Roselia's struggle which were starting to go oh so sluggish. A pity. Her struggles were for naught. "Finish this with Ice Beam."

"Here goes nothing." Cynthia readied herself mentally. "Use the strongest Energy Ball you can muster!" A freezing trio of arcing beams raced from Starmie's jewel towards the stuck Roselia, chilling the water.

Roselia concentrated and fired off her most powerful Energy Ball. The heavily boosted Energy Ball was launched and met the Ice Beam midway.

The following explosion blasted the water in two sides. Some water hit the already wet Misty, drenching her yet again. Cynthia, however, was completely dry and yelped when the wave hit her.

"Ah!" She shrieked. Starmie and Roselia were thrown back from the blast and surfaced. Roselia quickly climbed onto a platform, panting and struggling to stand.

"Starmie. Use Ice Beam." Misty smirked. Cynthia, failing to recover in time due to her drenched form, was unable to issue a command for Roselia.

She was, however, able to see Roselia get hit by a full-on Ice Beam and fall down to her knees (If it had one). "Roselia!" Cynthia yelled out. To the blonde's horror, Roselia began to be incased in solid ice.

"Oh no." Ash muttered. "This isn't good." Roselia stayed still as the Ice Beam gradually incased her. Cynthia, however, had other plans.

"Synthesis now!" Roselia's form glowed and her eyes, previously about to close from tiredness, opened up. "Now return!" Cynthia held out her pokéball.

Roselia was called back. Cynthia let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She then quickly grabbed her hair and pulled them behind her.

"Should've expected to get all wet." Cynthia joked. "Okay then. Go Fenniken!" Misty raised an eyebrow at the foreign Fire Starter.

"You've got some rare Pokémon there." She commented. "Running out of options?" She said as Fenniken looked nervously at the water around her.

"Nah." Cynthia chuckled. "Wanted this fight to be more challenging." She quickly thought over her options. _'Only if Fenniken could use Solar Beam right now.'_

Solar Beam was a very strong move to use but tough to learn, especially for a Fire Type. Plus, Fenniken wasn't experienced enough to use such an advanced tactic.

"You get the first move." Misty informed her. Cynthia nodded. Her strategy was to lure Starmie in, force her to sleep, and then finish her off.

"Flame Burst now!" Fenniken opened her mouth and began to fire fast blasts of fire towards Starmie. Without even a command, Starmie fell into the water and avoided the attacks.

The Flame Burst sizzled and evaporated a bit of water when they hit the water. Cynthia was undeterred. "Quick Attack around the platforms now!"

Fenniken yipped and began to dash around the plastic platforms. Cynthia knew what she had to do. Starmie would be coming in to attack pretty soon.

True to her thoughts, Starmie broke the surface while spinning in a Rapid Spin. "Howl!" Cynthia barked. Fenniken took a deep breath before unleashing a powerful howl not unlike foxes at night.

Starmie was a bit stunned by the yell and so, Fenniken had enough time to move out of the way. Starmie hit the surface and bounced off towards the water.

"Flame Burst!" Fenniken fired the blasts again and managed to hit Starmie this time. The Starfish hit the water and hid inside.

"Water Pulse." Misty commanded. The compressed water sphere blasted out of the water and struck the platform Fenniken was on. Fenniken quickly jumped to the other platform as her former was blasted out of the water.

"Heat Wave!" Fenniken took a deep breath, calling on the power inside her. She closed her eyes as the fire began to respond. Misty called for a Water Pulse in the meantime.

' _You can do it.'_ Cynthia thought silently. She saw Fenniken open her eyes, a fiery fire evident in them, and open her may. A huge wave of flames was unleashed, them meeting the Water Pulse and evaporating it.

The Heat Wave actually bypassed the Water Pulse, consuming it, and struck the water. Steam filled the whole battlefield, hiding Starmie and Fenniken from view.

"You know what to do Fenniken!" Cynthia hollered. There was the sound of a splash and then silence. Misty, Ash, and Cynthia waited patiently, the latter two hoping that Cynthia's strategy would work out.

"Something's fishy." Misty murmured. There was a fiery sound and then a huge Heat Wave covered the entire battlefield. The mist cleared to show a knocked out Starmie floating limply and a triumphant wet Fenniken standing atop her.

It took a few seconds for Cynthia to process this before she yelled "You did it!" Fenniken shook her fur aggressively, spraying water droplets to the side, and exhaled flames. She then jumped from Starmie to Cynthia's side, yipping triumphantly.

Misty was stunned. What exactly transpired in the mist that turned the tide of the water? Seeing her confused look, Cynthia began to explain. "Fenniken used the Mist's cover to jump just above Starmie and force her to sleep using Hypnosis. Then it was game over."

"You mean a Fire type willingly _jumped_ in the water just to carry out a risky strategy?" Misty asked after realizing the full extent of the simple statement.

"Yup." Cynthia responded proudly. "I'm glad it worked out perfectly." Misty observed Fenniken silently before replying.

"Did it?" Cynthia looked at Fenniken and saw her freezing in action. Arcs of electricity danced across her fur for a few seconds.

"Gr." The blonde gritted her teeth. "Fenniken. You okay?" She asked in concern. Fenniken nodded, growling at Misty challengingly.

"Good luck trying to beat this one." The Gym Leader threw her pokéball and out came a pinniped Pokémon with a thick hide covered in bluish white fur.

"A Dewgong." Cynthia murmured. As she saw, the Seel jumped into the water leaving Fenniken the lone Pokémon on dry land. She saw the Dewgong swim adeptly through the water, swimming around Fenniken quickly before returning to Misty's side.

Fenniken tensed up at his challenge. Cynthia mused over her options. _'Dewgong is very fast in water but awkward on land. There isn't much land around here. Fenniken would face a lot of difficulty fighting him here. Roselia would have recovered by now…'_

"Let's see you face Dewgong Cynthia!" Misty hollered from her side. "We've got more than just Water Attacks!" Dewgong cried in agreement.

"We've got more than Fire Attacks too!" Cynthia responded. Misty gestured her to take the first move. "Quick Attack! Test its speed!" Fenniken growled and then leapt into action.

"That trick again?" Misty asked. She waited for the paralysis to kick in. It finally did and she smirked. "Water Gun!" A powerful blast of water struck Fenniken on her sides. She growled in pain and fell into the water. "Aqua Jet!"

"Swim away with Quick Attack!" Cynthia ordered. Fenniken quickly began to paddle towards the surface but Dewgong slammed into her with a lot of momentum. She was sent tumbling down as Dewgong followed up by another Aqua Jet.

"Try harder Princess." Misty chuckled. "The same tricks won't work again." Cynthia gritted her teeth as the speedy Dewgong began to begin a powerful assault of Aqua Jets on Fenniken. It wasn't letting Fenniken recover at all!

' _Think Cynthia think!'_ The blonde urged. An idea came to her. "Latch onto Dewgong with Bite!" Fenniken, having heard her, quickly opened her maw and bit into Dewgong's neck as he came near for another Aqua Jet.

The pinniped was surprised as Fenniken began to hold on tight. Misty smirked. "Slam her into the wall!" Cynthia widened her eyes in alarm. Dewgong raced towards a wall speed first.

"Release your grip!" She shouted in alarm. Fenniken let go just as Dewgong slammed into the wall. She then began to paddle towards the surface as the disoriented pinniped tried to right itself.

"Not bad." Misty complimented as Fenniken broke the surface and tiredly pulled herself atop a platform. "But Dewgong is far from done." As she said that, her Water Type broke the surface and bared its fangs at Fenniken.

Cynthia noted the bruises on Fenniken's body, no doubt from the various Aqua Jets. "Can you continue?" Cynthia asked in concern. Fenniken nodded.

"Icy Wind." Dewgong exhaled a gust of chilly wind towards Fenniken, the Fire Fox bracing itself.

"Flame Charge!" Fenniken growled and flames lit up around her. The Icy Wind hit her and began to turn into mist, cloaking the fox.

"Not gonna work this time." Misty whistled and Dewgong unleashed a Water Gun. It followed the trails of the Icy Wind and struck Fenniken directly.

The Fire Starter squealed in alarm as her Flame Charge was getting extinguished. "Fenniken!" Cynthia cried in alarm. "Don't give up girl! You can do it!" She said as the flames began to waver.

"Don't let up Dewgong." Misty commanded. Dewgong amped its efforts as more mist began to seep. Fenniken closed its eyes to concentrate, trying to ignore the pain from the Water Gun.

A bad move.

"Look out!" Cynthia _screamed_. Fenniken opened her eyes to see Dewgong high above her. She tensed up, ready to move, when her Paralysis kicked in. She fell down and Dewgong landed right on top of her.

His crushing weight sank the platform even below and Dewgong cried out in triumph. "Ice Fang. Finish this." Dewgong's fangs flashed icy blue and it stabbed it into Fenniken's neck.

"No!" Cynthia yelled as Fenniken's gave a silent yell before falling unconscious. Dewgong slipped off her and fell into the water, swimming back to Misty's side.

"And there goes the fox." Misty commented. Cynthia grabbed Fenniken's pokéball and returned her, breathing heavily as she tried to comprehend what exactly just happened.

Ash looked at Cynthia and her shaky posture and frowned. The blonde wasn't taking the hit that well. Misty waited patiently for Cynthia to compose herself.

' _Fenniken just fainted. I'm down to Roselia only now. And while she's better now, she isn't at full health. How can I defeat that Dewgong with just her?'_ Cynthia thought frantically. She was always the type of person who had a plan B. This time, though, there was no plan B, only win or lose.

"You okay?" Misty asked after a few moments. "You still have Roselia, you can turn this around." Cynthia didn't respond, looking at the water.

' _Could I?'_ Cynthia thought. _'That Dewgong's pretty strong. And his Icy Wind is super effective against Roselia. Can she hold on?'_ For the first time in her journey, Cynthia began to doubt herself.

Thankfully for her, there was someone else there for her.

"C'mon Cynthia!" Ash hollered from his bench. "You can still win this! Don't lose hope!" That cut Cynthia from her frantic train of thoughts. She looked at Ash with wide eyes. The Kantonian gave her a thumb up with a smile.

' _That's right!'_ Cynthia realized. _'I can really do this!'_ She grabbed Roselia's pokéball and threw it. The Thorn Pokémon materialized, looking fresh without the Frozen ailment.

Misty was surprised at the change of condition. Roselia stood up, looking at Dewgong with an analytical look. Cynthia smirked at her confused look.

"Natural Cure." She spoke. "Substitution cures Roselia of any status ailment." Misty didn't show any emotion for a moment before a smile crept to her face.

"Dewgong! Use Icy Wind!" She took the initiative. Dewgong opened his mouth and unleashed the chilly winds. Cynthia decided to change strategies.

"Growth into Energy Ball! Then Growth again and follow it up with a Magical Leaf!" She commanded. Roselia boosted herself and then unleashed the green energy packet. It collided with the Icy Wind and exploded violently.

From the smoke came glowing, sharp leaves. Dewgong quickly ducked under the water and dodged the leaves. Cynthia was prepared. "Magical Leaf in the water! Box him in!"

Roselia cried out in preparation and unleashed her glowing leaves. They cleaved through the water and went into wild waves. Dewgong made a sound not unlike a seal and boosted himself with Aqua Jet.

Cynthia looked at the pinniped with a sharp eye. She knew Dewgong would try to throw Roselia into the water again and Aqua Jet her repeatedly.

That's why, when Dewgong burst behind Roselia, she was ready. "Leech Seed behind you!" Roselia ducked gracefully, Dewgong passing just above her, and slammed her bouquet into his belly.

Dewgong hit the water and swam inside. Cynthia could see that vines had sprouted around him and let a smile play on her scarlet lips. "Roselia! Keep him on the defensive!"

"Aqua Jet!" Misty commanded. Dewgong boosted ahead as Magical Leaves pierced his previous location and arced towards Roselia. The blonde was ready.

"Energy Ball." Cynthia sang. Roselia fired off the green sphere and intercepted Dewgong mid jump. The attack knocked him out of his Aqua Jet and he fell back into the water.

"You're pretty good." Misty commented. Cynthia grinned at her comment.

"Use Synthesis!" Cynthia ordered triumphantly. Roselia stopped in her Magical Leave barrage and began to heal herself. Misty saw the opportunity present itself and capitalized on it.

"Aqua Jet!" She ordered. Dewgong gathered momentum quickly and jumped right at the healing Roselia.

' _Hook, bait, sinker.'_ Cynthia thought. "Mega Drain… now!" As Dewgong slammed into Roselia and threw her into the water, the Thorn Pokémon managed to latch onto the Sea Lion Pokémon.

A green outline surrounded him and, coupled up with the Leech Seed, made Dewgong feel very tired. Misty realized what Cynthia was trying to do and sighed.

"Poison-" She was interrupted.

"I forfeit Dewgong." Misty announced. Cynthia called off Roselia and the Grass Type came out from the water, coupled with Dewgong, and climbed on top of a platform.

Misty called back her Dewgong, praising her. Cynthia hugged Roselia tightly, nuzzling her face against her as a wide smile split her face in two.

"We did it!" Cynthia cheered. "You and Fenniken both were epic!" She called out Fenniken who gave a tired smile to her. The Ice Fang had struck deep and Cynthia involuntarily winced.

She crouched down and scratched Fenniken's ear earning a pleased purr. Roselia sat down from tiredness. Ash made his way to the blonde's side and began to congratulate her as well.

To his surprise, Cynthia gave him a tight hug. "Thanks for the support Ash." She mumbled. "If you weren't there, I couldn't have won."

"Don't sell yourself so short princess." Misty said. The blonde was a bit startled by her sudden appearance. 'Here's the Cerulean Badge." She presented it.

"Thanks for the epic battle Misty." Cynthia thanked her. Misty gave a smile back.

"Thank you for giving me a tough battle instead." She looked at Ash. "You better propose the same toughness. Your friend here left quite a high standard."

"You should worry more about your own team Misty." Ash retorted. "I can prepare myself just fine."

"See that you do." Misty replied back competitively. It seemed the epic battle between Misty and Cynthia had gotten Ash's blood rolling too. Ash would be sure to train Seadra and Zeus to their best.

Let's see Misty face him next.

Xxx

"I still can't believe I won!" Cynthia celebrated. "That was my first real gym battle and I won!" She cheered. Ash grinned at her enthusiasm.

"Technically, your first battle was in Pewter." He reminded her.

"Duh." The blonde rolled her eyes. "I felt like I was handed the badge on a silver platter though. I didn't even have to try." She replied back. "Here though…"

"You had to pull out all stops." Ash ended. "That's true." The duo had reached the Pokémon Center by then and entered inside. Cynthia handed over her pokéballs to Nurse Joy who took them for treatment.

"I'm gonna call my Mom." The blonde informed him. "Tell her about my win."

"Tell her I said hi." Ash reminded. She nodded and walked over to one of the video phones. The Kantonian inwardly chuckled at the excitement and went over to walk on one of the sofas.

Figuring he had nothing better to do, he pulled out his pokedex and began to flip through his Pokémon's data. He needed some ideas on what to do with Seadra. Though the Water Type didn't need much training for now, he didn't want to waste any time.

For one, he could teach Seadra Icy Wind and Dragon Pulse. Dragon Pulse was a tricky one. Even Dragon Types had problems learning that move. If Seadra already had Twister down, he'll have less difficulty to harness the Dragon Energy for Dragon Pulse.

For Icy Wind he'll need to do some research. Seadra shouldn't have much difficulty since Ice Type and Water Type moves were similar in nature.

Hydro Pump was another option he considered. From the battle Seadra had against Eevee and Zeus, he thought Seadra had enough control over Water Pulse to use Hydro Pump. The only problem would be he could face would be similar to Zeus.

He had worked briefly on Volt Tackle with his Electric Type. The Pikachu was able to tap into it and make a brief coating of electricity but that alone tired him out. Seadra would need a lot of experience and stamina to carry out such a powerful and taxing move.

There wasn't much left about Eevee. He could teach her Bite with the help of Fenniken and Refresh for status ailments. Take Down and Double Edge were formidable options but they were more of double edged swords.

Ash considered it for a few moments. Eevee could use the moves for the lack of firepower she'll have in the future. Take Down and Double Edge both packed a punch but they had recoil similar to Volt Tackle.

Hyper Voice was another nice option. He'll have Eevee learn Bite and Refresh first, and then focus on Hyper Voice. It wasn't too hard to earn actually. All Eevee had to do was shout… and shout. She'll have to shout to learn it.

For Skylar, he had a couple of moves in mind. Steel Wing, Agility, Mirror Move, Roost, Razor Wind, Air Slash, Twister, Heat Wave, Tailwind, and Defog. Ash knew he was reaching given Skylar's current level but who said he was going to teach her all of this in one go?

He'll have Skylar work on Defog, Agility, and Steel Wing first. The former are easy enough to learn and Steel Wing could be boosted by Eevee and Zeus's Iron Tail. Heat Wave could be taught after Fenniken mastered it.

Twister would be difficult given its typing but Seadra could assist a lot in that department. Mirror Move was one tricky move to teach so Ash would focus on it later. Razor Wind simply required mastery over air and so did Air Slash. He'll teach Skylar probably after she evolves into a Pidgeot.

The road from Cerulean to Vermillion was a very long one with many trainers and wild Pokémon. He could catch a couple of Pokémon on the way and work on them simultaneously.

Ash thought about his and Cynthia's talk yesterday. She suggested they take a detour and take the Rock Tunnel, catch a Ground or Rock Type, and then reach Lavender Town. There, they could catch a Ghost Type and then head towards Saffron City. From there they could fight Erika first and then use the experience and training to take down Lt Surge's monster of a Raichu.

Ash had to admit, her planning had appeal. Eevee, Zeus, Skylar, Seadra, Fenniken, Nidoran, and Roselia would need some hard training to be able to face Lt Surge properly. Cynthia's struggle against Misty proved they'll have to work harder against others.

The only problem was it would take a good bit longer before they'll be able to fight a Gym Battle. Rock Tunnel was fairly away, and it was wide too. It'll take a week for them to fully traverse it. There was a plus point there too.

They could use the experience. Plus, the Pokémon there could provide a lot of training and frankly Ash and Cynthia could use one of those types. The road from the end of Rock Tunnel to Lavender wasn't that big.

The trainers in middle used mixture of pokémon from Lavender and Rock Tunnel so they could fight against Ghost Types and get used to the typing better. Ghost provided valuable covers their team needed and were versatile.

Ash still remembered how Agatha's Gengar single-handedly destroyed a challenger's team with a shudder.

Any further planning was halted when Nurse Joy called him out. "Ash Ketchum?" Ash nodded. "They're a phone call for you." Ash dipped his head in thanks and made way to one of the booths.

The aged face of Professor Oak greeted him once he reached his destination. "Ash my boy!" He greeted. "How's your journey going?"

"It's going epic." Ash responded with a grin. "Cynthia won the Cerulean Badge today. I'm going to challenge Misty after a few days once I get used to Seadra."

"You have a Seadra?" Oak inquired in surprise. Upon seeing Ash nod, he smiled. "Congrats. They're not easy to capture. You must be incredibly skilled to get one."

"I know." He replied with a smirk. "We're planning on going to Vermillion City next but Cynthia says we should take a detour through Rock Tunnel and Lavender Town and challenge Erika before taking on Lt. Surge."

"Is that so?" Oak asked. "Can't say you couldn't use the experience. Surge's a monster." His eyes seemed nostalgic. "I had a lot of trouble defeating the Vermillion Gym in my younger days. His father was just as ruthless, even more so."

"We're considering both options." Ash added. "I've thought about a lot of training I can have my Pokémon go through. It's a pretty long list but it'll be worth it."

"You make mistakes, you learn." Oak quoted. "What's a human without mistakes?"

"God?" Ash asked back.

"A lifeless vessel who couldn't live life to the fullest. Who will stale because he couldn't learn from his mistakes, hence growing dull when everyone else moves forward. Who would be unable to experience life fully. Do you call that God?" Oak retorted sharply.

"…No." Ash shuddered at that thought. "Thanks for the insight Professor." Oak smiled.

"No problem." He smirked. "Oh! I almost forgot." He exclaimed. "I need you to complete a task for me."

"Go on." Ash gestured.

"A researcher of mine lives at Cerulean Cave. He has his own lighthouse known as Bill's lighthouse. He says a Pokémon handed to him by the League is causing a lot of trouble. The League has set it up on adoption. If a trainer doesn't take it under his/her ownership, I'm afraid," Oak sighed sadly.

"They'll have to put it down."

Ash's eyes widened. Put it down?! "You mean they'll…" Oak nodded. "Give me the entire date you have please."

"The Pokémon is one of the trio starters in Unova. The Grass Starter known as Snivy." He began. "They recovered it from an illegal Pokémon mill. Snivy was born with two abilities instead of one. One being Overgrow and the other being Contrary. Not only that, but both are special abilities."

"She can activate and deactivate Overgrow on will and Contrary only works one way. She can boost herself using a move such as Swords Dance but using Leaf Storm will boost her Special Attack instead of decreasing it."

"Wow..." Ash breathed.

"But they come at a cost." Oak began. "Snivy is heavily scarred. When the League got her, she was in pretty bad knowledge. She's still underweight due to the treatment at the mill. She has gone through a lot of trauma and we're scared she'll always be scarred."

"Snivy hates males with a passion and wouldn't hesitate to strangle one with her vines. She regards everything with suspicion and it's next to impossible to earn her trust. Her special abilities are one of the reasons many trainers applied to get her but none passed."

"…say that again." Ash said after a moment. It was a lot for him to process suddenly. "Wait. If many trainers applied but none got her, then what chance do I have?"

"You have my reference." Oak began. "I personally vouch for you. Plus, you have that inner charisma that can bring anything close to you."

"That's overstating it." Ash stated back.

"You made Cynthia, a girl famous for her social awkwardness and reserved girl, your best friend and practically a support for her. Not to mention she was normal after spending enough time with you. Keeping that in mind, I'm saying the truth."

"Cynthia was never abused or scarred." Ash pointed back.

"Well yes." Oak admitted. "But you're the best bet I have. Next to Cynthia, you have the most merit in this stuff."

"Shouldn't Cynthia have her since Snivy hates males with a passion?" Ash asked after a couple of moments.

"Theoretically, yes." Oak started. "But I repeat my above statements. If someone can cave in her cold, scarred heart. It's you." Ash swallowed at his statement. "If you don't want her, it's no problem. No pressure on you."

"But then she'll be put down!" Ash protested. Oak shrugged.

"The world is cruel Ash. These things happen more than we would love to admit." Oak sighed. "The choice is yours. I've told Bill Ash will be there by tomorrow night. The choice is yours."

"What if I don't go?" Ash questioned in a small voice.

"Snivy dies." With that word, Oak closed the call. Ash sat there in shock for a little while. It wasn't until Cynthia shook his shoulder that he moved.

"What's up?" The blonde questioned in concern. "You seem very shocked."

"Professor Oak just called." He began. "He says…" The two shifted to a couch while chatting and Ash finished. Cynthia regarded her friend's words quietly.

"What will you do?" She asked finally.

"What do _you_ say I should do?" He replied. "I have my doubts." Ash began. "I'm a new trainer. Inexperienced. What if I do something that harms Snivy instead of healing her?"

"The fact you're admitting your faults is the reason you should have Snivy." Cynthia said sagely. "She deserves someone like you. In the end, remember this. The Safest Hands Are Your Own."

"True." Ash nodded. "We'll go to Bill tomorrow then. Kay?" Cynthia nodded. "Enough of me, tell me how did your talk go?" Cynthia beamed and began her chatter.

 _Few Minutes Later…_

"A powerful rare Water Type?" Ash quoted. Cynthia nodded. "You can try to capture it tomorrow on Route 24. We'll be passing the spot anyway. Might as well take a small detour."

"Mom says chances are it's a Clawitzer. A water type from Kalos." Cynthia stretched tiredly. "Enough of that. Let's eat and hit the hay. I'm tired."

"We need to be at full attention tomorrow anyway." Ash got off the couch.

Tomorrow.

A New Day.

New Oppurtunities.

Xxx

 **Finished this after listening to Gauntlet 2.0 a lot of times and thinking about Pokémon to kill my Writer's Block. Hope you guys enjoyed it! R &R(Read and Review) for support! Your King signing out!**

 **List of Pokémon:**

 **Eevee: Quick Attack, Sand Attack, Shadow Ball. Dig. Iron Tail. Double Team, Swift. (Detect)**

 **Zeus: Thunder Shock, Nasty Plot, Thunder Wave, Iron Tail. Dig. Double Team. Feint. Nuzzle. (Volt Tackle).**

 **Skylar: Tackle, Quick Attack, Gust, Sand Attack, Aerial Ace, and Double Team. (Sky Attack)**

 **Seadra: Water Gun, Water Pulse, Tackle, Smokescreen, Agility, Bubble Team, Whirlpool, Twister.**

 **Cynthia Pokémon:**

 **Fenniken: Scratch, Hypnosis, Ember, Flame Burst, Quick Attack, Flame Charge, Howl, Bite. (Heat Wave).**

 **Nidoran:** **Tackle, Poison Sting, Confusion, Double Kick, Fury Attack, Peck, Focus Energy.**

 **Roselia: Mega Drain, Growth, Poison Sting, Magical Leaf, Leech Seed, Synthesis, Energy Ball.**


	6. Water & Grass

**Response to Reviews!**

 **UltimateCCC: Maybe…**

 **Jeet Granger: Thanks for the lengthy review! I like reviews which boast quite a bit of words and points! I agree on the aura part. I think its idiotic how humans gain powers like Pokémon without any proper reason. They don't even do anything to earn that!**

 **Poke-ranger21: Thanks for the love and support.**

 **Mark Andrew: Our duo is very close to each other as friends. They're young and probably don't understand it. About Snivy, you'll have to wait and see. I haven't thought much about her yet.**

 **Ahmed (Guest): Thanks for the support!**

 **With that done, let's begin!**

Xxx

 **Water & Grass!**

To reach Cerulean Peak, where Bill lived, the duo of trainers had to cross Route 24 and Route 25 which would take around noon to cross. Ash and Cynthia, figuring they had enough time to reach Bill's Sea Cottage, decided that they would take the time training and move tutoring.

Since both routes were filled with trainers who were around their level, they could provide invaluable experience to the duo and help prep Ash for Misty. Plus, Ash needed to battle a few times with Seadra as well.

Speaking of which…

Ash tossed the Water Type's pokéball, calling out the Dragon Pokémon. Seadra came out, balancing easily on his round tail, and looked at Ash confusedly.

"Hey Seadra." Ash said, crouching in front of him. "My name's Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. We met yesterday at the ocean, remember?"

Seadra's eyes glimmered as he remembered his defeat and snorted deplorably. Ash could see the sadness from his expression and made to quickly fix it.

"Look Seadra," He began. "I know a lot about your species and how they eventually evolve into powerful, regal Kingdra." Seadra listened to him curiously. "But do you really think you can find a Dragon Scale in these waters?"

Seadra thought about it and then snorted a no. "You're pretty strong. You defeated my starter Eevee so easily! But…" He took a breath and then continued. "If we combine forces, I can help you become the most powerful Kingdra in due time." Seadra looked at him in surprise.

"You can only travel so far and learn so much on your own but if we journey together, fight together, eat together etc. then we both will benefit. And once I get a Dragon Scale, you can complete your goal of being a Kingdra."

Ash had no idea where he'll even find one, but he knew than one day he'll find one and help Seadra acquire his goal. "In turn, you can help me become the strongest trainer. So, what do you say?" Ash questioned. "Want to become a part of my team?"

Seadra contemplated it. As a Pokémon capable of using Dragon Type moves and living alone, Seadra pretty much valued strength over everything else. His dream of evolving into a Kingdra and gaining its fearsome power meant he could rule over everyone!

But if an electric _mouse_ could defeat him under a human's guidance, then he knew the boy had power. And he respected power. What the boy said was true. He could only become so strong alone.

But…

His power and the boy's mind. Combined, he could be the strongest! No one could defeat him once he evolved into a Kingdra, yes, but sealing the pact with the boy meant he could become even stronger.

Plus, getting to prank him was an added bonus.

Seadra intentionally delayed his response, watching Ash's reaction and his tense posture. Then, as an answer, he sprayed the boy with a Water Gun.

Ash yelped in surprise as the cold water hit him and fell on his butt. Seadra began to make a strange sound that was presumably his way of laughter.

"Yeah, yeah." Ash grunted, getting up and trying to wipe the water off his face. "Real funny." He heard a snicker behind him and saw Cynthia trying to control her laughter. "What was so funny in that?!"

"You squealed like a baby!" She responded with barely suppressed giggles. Ash rolled his eyes at her. "C'mon, admit it. That was funny." He ignored her to regain what dignity he had and turned towards the prankster.

"So Seadra." Ash began. "Do you want a nickname?" The Dragon Pokémon nodded immediately. Ash was surprised at the quick response. He began to call off a few names to which Seadra replied in negative. Ash continued until Seadra found one he liked.

"Oceanus?" Seadra nodded at that one. "So Oceanus it is!" The newly named Oceanus whinnied in happiness and blasted Ash back with another Water Gun.

Ash wiped the water off quickly and continued his talk. "Later on, we'll be battling trainers. They have Pokémon like us. I want to understand your fighting style and build some sync between us before we fight Misty. So are you ready?"

Oceanus whinnied again. "Let's take breakfast first and then we'll continue. In the meantime, I'll like to introduce you to my family." He grabbed his pokéballs and threw them, revealing his small yet formidable allies.

Eevee, Zeus and Skylar came out with their respective greetings. Ash smiled at them and gestured to Oceanus. "Eevee, Zeus, and Skylar, meet Oceanus. Oceanus, these are our brothers and sisters."

He looked back to his shoulder towards Cynthia. He gestured her over with a quick wave. The blonde walked forwards and stood next to him.

"And this is Cynthia." He began. "I think she'll introduce herself better." He flashed a grin. Cynthia nodded and crouched to Oceanus's level.

"Hey Oceanus." She said, scratching him on his pectoral fins. Oceanus relaxed at her soft touch, even leaning into her hands. "My name's Cynthia Carolina. I'm from Sinnoh, a region far from here. My goal is to be a Pokémon Professor. And I want to earn knowledge through Pokémon Training."

Oceanus whinnied in response. Cynthia then got up, leaving Oceanus down and called out her Pokémon. Fenniken, Nidoran, and Roselia came out, giving greetings of their own.

"Meet Fenniken, Nidoran, and Roselia." She introduced. "Guys, this is Oceanus. He's the latest member of our family so make sure to put your best first impression."

"Let's go grab our food." Ash told the blonde. She nodded and the two left for the cafeteria while their Pokémon conversed and settled amongst each other.

Time to begin the journey.

Xxx

Route 24 was full of trainers just like they thought. Ash decided to test Oceanus out against the trainers and he managed to take out two Pokémon of one out before being switched out. Eevee, Zeus, and Skylar likewise won without much difficulty.

Cynthia's Fenniken suffered a bit trouble against the Water Types due to the typing but the fire fox managed to pull through. The blonde knew she was about to evolve due to the random pink flashes and burst of energy from her hence all the battles.

Nidoran was also close to evolving. She didn't have much chances battling with him but Route 24 provided the best opportunities. The blonde noticed his increased aggression and his more potent venom as telltale signs.

Roselia was as graceful as always. Due to her type advantage, she could single-handedly defeat Pokémon coupled with Cynthia's strategic thinking. That's why the blonde had her battle against non-water types for some increased difficulty.

Right now though, Ash was just winding up a battle.

"Shadow Ball!" Ash ordered. Eevee yipped and fired off the ghostly sphere. The opposing Cubone batted it away with its bone club and rushed her.

"Use Bone Rush!" Ash's opponent ordered. Cubone's club elongated and it swiped at Eevee.

"Double Team into Quick Attack!" He countered. "Then use Iron Tail!" Eevee yipped and, dodging the first swipe, burst into a dozen copies. They all ran around Cubone, confusing the Ground Type.

Then the real Eevee rushed from behind and slammed a Quick Attack boosted Iron Tail into Cubone, sending the Ground Type sprawling back. She then jumped and slammed her Iron Tail again into his stomach, knocking him out.

"Cubone!" The trainer yelled in alarm. It was clear he had lost. Eevee panted heavily, nursing the bruises on her body. Cubone had gotten some clean hits in and clearly gave her a run for her money.

"That was one intense battle." Ash commented as Eevee padded over to him. Crouching down and scratching behind her ear, Ash earned a pleased yowl from the Evolution Pokémon.

"You're one heck of a trainer." His opponent chuckled. "Not many trainers can defeat me, especially after the training I did in Rock Tunnel. That's where I got Cubone from."

"Rock Tunnel huh." Ash whispered to himself. He could get himself a Ground Type there. The man walked away after returning Cubone, presumably to the Pokémon Center. Ash brought out a potion and sprayed it over Eevee's wounds, making her wince a bit.

"Easy." Ash whispered. Healing her up, Ash returned her to rest up in her pokéball and got up.

"We still have a couple hours of walk from here." Cynthia reminded him. "I also need to catch the elusive Water Type so I suggest we hurry up."

"How's Fenniken?" Ash questioned. Cynthia grinned at that.

"She's so close to evolving!" The blonde squealed. "Her random psychic bursts prove it. All I can do now is keep battling with her and let it trigger. That's how evolution works anyway."

"You'll need an evolution anyways." Ash commented. "After all, I have three Pokémon in their second stage. You need to catch up." He boasted jokingly.

"Who has the Cerulean Badge?" The blonde questioned.

"I'll get one tomorrow." Ash retorted cheekily.

"And who has foreign Pokémon?" The blonde added innocently.

"I have Eevee-" He was interrupted.

"But no foreign Pokémon. So shut up." Ash wisely did.

They continued on, battling trainers all the while and getting valuable experience. Ash let Eevee see one of Fenniken's battles and her usage of Bite. It wasn't that hard of a move and Eevee was able to get the basic idea down in her next fight. Next up for her was Refresh. Roselia could somehow help when they got the chance.

Zeus was working on his Volt Tackle in the next couple of fights and he was getting better at it. Ash had initially thought of making him learn Wild Charge first but it dealt more recoil and wasted more energy. Volt Tackle was the best option he had. Coupled with that, Ash wanted him to learn Shock Wave as well.

It would be great to track down the speedy Dewgong Misty loved to use.

Skylar was learning Agility. Since she knew Quick Attack, learning Agility was a piece of cake. Coupled with that, Ash wanted her to practice her flying skills. Razor Wind and Air Slash were only useful if Skylar had mastery over her flight.

Ash initially wanted to teach Oceanus Hydro Pump. It became evident after the first use, however, that it was out of his level at the moment and he'll have to try later. In place of that, the Seadra was practicing Icy Wind and his current moves.

After a few hours of walking and battling, the duo of trainers decided to rest a bit. Ash used his bag as a pillow to relax while Cynthia scoured through her pokedex.

"What'cha searching?" Ash questioned.

"The whereabouts of the Pokémon." She responded. "They say it's near a small detour on Route 24. And the Pokémon is very strong." She looked at Ash a bit warily. "Do you think Roselia would be able to catch it?"

"Maybe." Ash responded with a shrug. "You need to weaken him up and maybe trap him. Then you can defeat him. If you cannot do that, though, it'll be very difficult to defeat it."

"True." Cynthia frowned in thought. "The spot is about a fifteen minute detour from our current position. Let's go."

"Sure." Ash got up and stretched. "Let's move!"

Xxx

The spot was more like an extension of Route 24 that an actual spot. It was an outcropping opposite Route 25 with a few wild Pokémon, mostly water type, and water. The duo presumed it was from the river that went through Mt. Moon. Geography was difficult to learn.

"Here we go." Cynthia took a deep breath as she finished setting her fishing rod. Throwing it in the water, the blonde sat down and waited patiently. Ash stood a bit back, Zeus at his feet.

Cynthia had released Fenniken to attack the elusive Pokémon as soon as she reined him in. "Be careful." Ash warned her. "Wild Pokémon are not above hitting humans. They think its fair game."

"I know." The blonde mumbled back. _'Take the bait… take the bait… take the bait…'_ She chanted in her mind. After about five minutes, there was a tug on her rod.

Zeus and Fenniken both tensed as Cynthia began to expertly handle it. The blonde gritted her teeth as resistance found its way to their struggle. "Ash, a little help here." She grunted.

Ash sped to her side and grabbed the rod. "On the count of three." The blonde told him. Ash nodded, keeping a steady hand on the rod. "One, two… three!"

The duo jerked the rod back with all their strength. The Pokémon was sent sailing out of the water above them. Fenniken reacted instantly.

She sped up using Flame Charge and, smashing into its belly, gnawed her teeth into his neck using Bite. She spun and threw him on the ground, climbing onto him and howling intimidatingly.

The Pokémon froze at the howl for a moment and Fenniken was able to use her Hypnosis. Unfortunately for her, the Pokémon recovered in just a moment and spat a powerful Water Gun on her face.

Fenniken squealed and the pokémon sped away using Aqua Jet. Cynthia got up and kept a trained eye on him. "Fenniken! Use Flame Charge now!" Fenniken recovered quickly and raced after the fleeing Pokémon.

To the blonde's surprise, the Pokémon wasn't running away. Spinning around after seeing Fenniken's Flame Charge, he slammed head on with the fox.

His Aqua Jet overpowered the Flame Charge due to Type Advantage and higher strength and Fenniken was sent tumbling. The Pokémon broke out of his Aqua Jet and flipped his tail.

A Sonic Boom struck Fenniken and sent her flying near Cynthia. The Pokémon landed and unleashed three arcing beams. Cynthia's eyes widened as Fenniken was struck by all three. She yowled in pain and struggled to get up.

The Pokémon didn't hesitate for a moment and sped forwards with an Aqua Jet. Cynthia quickly called out Roselia. "Energy Ball!" The Thorn Pokémon formed the attack and threw it towards the Aqua Jet. Both collided and the Pokémon was sent out.

The blonde got her first look on the Pokémon and gasped when she recognized it. "A Buizel!?" She narrowed her eyes. The Buizel growled and spun his tail challengingly.

Roselia narrowed her eyes back and stood protectively above Fenniken. Cynthia scooped Fenniken up in her arms, returning her back to her pokéball quickly.

Buizel raced forwards again, an Aqua Jet. "Energy Ball!" She ordered. Roselia fired off the attack towards Buizel. The Sea Weasel Pokémon actually _rotated_ mid Aqua Jet and slammed into the surprised Roselia. Roselia quickly grabbed his torso and used a close range Poison Sting.

Buizel winced as the poison entered his system and tried to toss her off. Roselia, however, outbalanced him and slammed him into the ground. She hugged him tight and used Mega Drain.

Buizel let out a pained cry as he felt his energy sap out and opened his mouth. Frost cloaked around his teeth and he bit down on Roselia's neck.

Roselia let out a pained cry in turn but didn't let up. Cynthia watched with baited breath as the two began a battle of attrition. Roselia had Buizel poisoned, pinned down, and was draining energy out of him while Buizel was biting through her neck with Ice Fang.

"Keep it up!" Cynthia supported. Buizel, however, had other plans. He slammed his tail down on the ground, using Sonic Boom to boost himself up. He somehow managed to flip Roselia below him and encased his fists in ice.

Cynthia winced when his fist made contact with Roselia's face. The Thorn Pokémon spat out her counterpart of blood at the first punch. Buizel continued to punch her while Mega Drain worked its effect.

Cynthia bit her lower lip at the vicious attacks. She wasn't sure whether Roselia could pull through or not. All she knew was that Roselia was getting serious damage.

Roselia could fight back, however, and blasted Buizel with an Energy Ball. Buizel snarled in pain and Roselia slammed another Energy Ball into him. Buizel was thrown off her and landed roughly away from her.

The Thorn Pokémon got up, using Synthesis to heal the damage dealt to her. Buizel struggled to get up, the poison in his system and the Mega Drain having drained him completely.

Cynthia threw a pokéball towards him. Buizel, even in his weakened state, tried to spit an Ice Beam. Roselia blasted him with an Energy Ball before he could do that.

The pokéball hit him and sucked the Sea Weasel inside. Even weakened to the point of fainting, Buizel declined to fall. The pokéball shook violently for thirty seconds of baited breath before dinging.

Cynthia let out a breath and sat down, breathing heavily. Ash grinned amusedly at her reaction and sent Zeus to gather the pokéball. The Pikachu congratulated the battered Roselia and nuzzled her joyfully before moving to grab the ball.

"That was one intense capture eh?" Ash questioned the blonde. Cynthia nodded. "Reminds me of Oceanus."

"Oceanus isn't that rough or vicious in attacking." The blonde reminded him. "He's bulky and a ranged fighter. Buizel prefers up close physical fighting." Cynthia's hand instinctively brushed near the base of her neck.

"You haven't forgotten that have you?" Ash sighed. Cynthia shook her head. The blonde closed her eyes as the memory hit freshly.

 _The poisonous fangs of the Crobat sunk into her flesh as if hot knife through butter. A young Cynthia shrieked in pain as the Crobat delivered potent venom into her veins._

" _Not so brave now!" A shady figure roared. "My excuse of a-"_

Cynthia felt two hands wrap around her and pull her in. "Sh." Ash consoled her. "You're safe, don't worry about him." Cynthia didn't even know she was shuddering until now. She nodded and took a deep breathe.

Roselia and Zeus looked at her in concern. "I'm okay." Cynthia said as Ash pulled back. "Just a bad memory. Okay?"

Buizel's Ice Fang had brought back bad memories for Cynthia. That was all Roselia and Zeus knew. Judging from Ash's worried expression though; it was more than simply a bad memory.

"You're gonna talk to Buizel right now or later?" Ash changed topics. Cynthia considered it.

"Later." She answered. "Fenniken and Roselia need healing and we need to get to Bill's Sea Cottage. Route 25 is moderately sized and a lot of trainers would want to battle."

"True." Ash rolled his shoulders. "Let's go!"

Xxx

After a few hours of battling and nonstop walking, Ash and Cynthia reached the Sea Cottage. Sweaty and tired, the duo knocked on the door.

"Who's there?" Was the response after a few moments.

"Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town." Ash responded. "Professor Oak should've told about me." There was no response, only the sound of the lock unlocking. The door opened to show a middle aged man wearing a lab coat.

He scanned Ash and Cynthia for a few moments before blurting. "This is the Ash Professor Oak spoke so highly about?" Ash blinked for a few moments at the evident insult.

"Yeah?" He said, taken aback a little. Bill stared into his eyes making him very uncomfortable and then stepped aside.

"Come inside. I don't have much time." He walked away leaving Ash and Cynthia outside.

"What the hell?" Cynthia whispered. "That's the famed Bill? Inventor of the Pokémon Storage System?"

"Seems like it." Ash replied. "C'mon." They walked inside and winced at the condition of Bill's Sea Cottage. It was a complete mess.

"Excuse my mess of a lab at the moment." Bill told them. "And ignore my cold reception too. The past few weeks have been… stressful." Cynthia nodded sympathetically.

"I know what it feels like." She told him.

"Really?"

"Nope."

Ash cracked a grin at that. "Where's Snivy?" Bill reached into his pocket and pulled out a black pokéball with a golden strip at the middle button.

"Stay careful Ash." Bill warned. "She's wild." Bill threw the pokéball and energy pooled out of it. Ash stared at the light fearlessly as it materialized into a green snake with brown eyes.

Ash knew that this was Snivy. After all, he had researched its species and learned as much as he could in one night. Snivy was curled up, resting her head on her tail. Ash thought she looked cute.

And the next moment Snivy leapt straight at him.

Her tail elongated in a Leaf Blade and she spun in the air, poised to strike him. Ash reacted quickly, ducking and letting Snivy fly over him. He jumped to the side, knowing Snivy could've planned a follow-up.

He was right as two green vines almost hit him. Snivy snarled and wanted to attack again when Ash called out Eevee. "Calm down Snivy." Ash spoke softly.

Eevee yipped against Snivy harshly, daring it to strike again. Ash kneeled down and scratched behind her ear consolingly. "Easy girl." Ash whispered. Snivy looked at Cynthia and Bill and then back to Ash and Eevee.

Ash whispered something to his starter and Eevee nodded. The Evolution Pokémon walked towards Snivy, stopping when Snivy flashed a vine dangerously. He yipped to show she didn't mean any harm and managed to make Snivy relax.

Ash watched as the two began to interact. Bill looked at the duo of Pokémon curiously while Cynthia looked at Ash with a questioning look. Ash mouthed 'tell you later' to which she obliged.

Eevee finished talking to Snivy and gestured to Ash. Ash, taking that as his cue, began to speak. "Snivy. My name is Ash Ketchum. I'm from Pallet Town. Me and my team are on a quest to be the strongest trainers in Kanto and then the world. Would you like to join us?"

Snivy growled angrily. "You seem pretty powerful and can definitely hold your own against powerful adversaries." He began. "But I don't want you for your power." Ash approached her.

Snivy's tail elongated and sharpened at that. Ash held his arms up in peace. "I know what you're capable of pretty well." He crouched in front of her. "But you don't know what I'm capable of."

Snivy bristled dangerously. How dare he?! That filthy, vile male had the balls to _challenge_ her? She'll show him how capable she was for sure! "I'm sorry."

Snivy blinked at that. For all her years of torment and preparation for expecting the unexpected, that was new. He was _sorry_? For what?

"I'm sorry you had to suffer for no apparent reason." He continued softly. "You feel bad when everyone looks over you, right? They think you're a possession, an object, a means to be powerful."

Snivy didn't reply, her expression stony. She was curious to what this filthy male had to say. According to the Eevee, he was worth listening to.

"You don't like that, do you?" Ash asked. "You want to prove your worth to everyone in this world. Right? That you aren't an object that can just obtain. That they are the mightiest in the world. Don't you desire to wipe the smug look off their faces?" Snivy slowly nodded.

Ash stretched a hand out to her. Snivy looked at him calculatingly, waiting for any sudden moves or anything. "Lemme ask you Snivy." He carried on. "Do you trust me?"

Snivy snorted at the question. Off course she didn't! Just cause he could talk smoothly and move quickly didn't mean he earned her trust!

"You don't." Ash said, hiding any disappointment. "I expected that much." Ash sighed and sat down. "What do I have to do to earn that trust?"

Snivy made a chuckling sound at that. Earn her trust? Was he for serious? She'll die horribly rather than trust anyone, let alone a male!

Ash didn't show any emotion, knowing he was trudging on thin ice. "Let's make a quick deal then." Snivy stopped laughing and looked at him amusedly. "You can travel with me for a few days. If you think you can trust me, then you can continue to travel with me. If don't, you're welcome to leave anytime you like."

Snivy thought about it. That sounded like an ok deal to her. But what was the guarantee he wouldn't back out of his words?

"The Luxury Ball has a setting that allows the inhabitant to go inside and outside at any matter or moment. You can even leave whenever you want to. The Luxury Ball would erase your signature from its database." That piqued her interest.

She thought for a few moments before nodding. Better free in the wild than dead. They considered her dangerous! For a simple trait she was gifted from birth!

And then this guy asks her to trust her.

Neat.

As Ash bargained with Snivy, Professor Bill was healing up Cynthia's and Ash's Pokémon. The entire day of battling had tired them out and the blonde was tempted to spend the remaining day here.

She saw Ash finish talking with Snivy and returning her to her pokéball. Ash handed Bill the pokéball so he could transfer ownership and smiled at Cynthia.

"Not bad huh?"

"You really are something else!" Bill exclaimed. "Snivy never listened so intently or took such interest in anyone, let alone a male! Professor Oak was right all along!"

"Maybe." Ash said, cheeks heating up a bit at the praise. "I would've liked to spend some more time here but I need to get back to the Pokémon Center and train my Pokémon a bit."

That was true. Eevee needed to learn Refresh and Double Edge for coverage. Zeus needed to focus more on Volt Tackle and try Shock Wave. Skylar needed more evasive and dexterity in her flight and learn Defog as well as Agility for higher speed. Oceanus needed to learn Icy Wind and then Ice Beam for coverage against Grass Types. That was what they could do at their current level.

About Snivy, he had no idea. The League said she was strong due to her ability to activate Overgrow on will but her skill level was most probably at the lowest. He'll have to work with her once she was comfortable with them.

"You know, I heard somewhere that spacing away is the sign of an idiot." Cynthia commented innocently. Ash snapped out of his thoughts and quirked an eyebrow at the blonde.

"Blondie." He replied maturely.

"Flirt later. Here's your Luxury Ball." Bill snapped them out of their fun. The duo blushed at his accusation and glared at the professor.

"We- we're not flirting!" Cynthia stuttered.

"Sure you're not." Bill chuckled. Ash took the Luxury Ball in his hand and tossed it up and down.

"She's mine?" Ash questioned. Bill nodded. "See you later then Professor Bill." The duo made for the door when Cynthia made her final jab.

"Hopefully next time you'll be more clean." Ash couldn't resist and burst into laughter. Cynthia would never let anyone else get the final laugh.

He was sure of it.

Xxx

The two reached the Pokémon Center after a couple of hours of walk and a few battles. Going straight to their room, they collapsed on their beds.

"I'm spent." Cynthia mumbled.

"No wonder genius." Ash replied. "I'm releasing my Pokémon." Ash said, clicking open all of his pokéballs. Eevee, Zeus, Skylar, Oceanus, and Snivy all came out. "Do whatever you want. I'm sleeping." Ash informed them.

Cynthia did likewise with her Pokémon and told them the same. Fenniken, Nidoran, Roselia, and Buizel came out. It was only after Buizel made a battle cry did Cynthia realize what she had done.

"Hey Buizel." Cynthia began. "My name is Cynthia Carolina. I'm your trainer now. I'm sure we'll get along just fine. Now try to be civil and don't fight with anyone. Please?"

Buizel regarded her for a few moments before nodding. If she was strong enough to defeat him, she earned his respect. Cynthia waved at him before collapsing back on her bed.

Buizel blinked. She was that tired?

The nine Pokémon began to converse among each other animatedly. Only Snivy and Buizel stayed back. The former because she didn't like civilizing with anyone and Buizel because…

He liked to be cool.

Eevee, mistaking Snivy's quietness as shyness, introduced her to everyone. Snivy blinked as everyone tried to talk to her. She quickly used Vine Whip to escape them and sat on the foot of Ash's bed.

Snivy then pointedly told them to stop annoying her and go back to their useless chatter while she did something useful. Also known as sleeping.

Zeus's cheeks sparked in annoyance but he didn't provoke her any further. Eevee had told them beforehand about Snivy's behavior so it was a bit easier to swallow.

Only a bit easier, mind you.

Eevee, in an attempt to stop any fight from occurring, switched topics to the upcoming gym battle. Oceanus told them that Ash planned on using him and Eevee against Misty.

They knew how strong Oceanus was due to the battles today. Buizel inwardly snorted at the praise the Seadra was getting. He'll show that overgrown seahorse who the strongest Water Type here was tomorrow!

The chatting went like that for the rest of time before everyone went to sleep.

Xxx

"So, we're getting what for mom?" Ash asked. The duo were roaming around the market, searching for something good to get Delia.

"Didn't we decide on the Water Stone sculpture?" Cynthia asked. Ash shrugged.

"It's your choice what to buy and what not to." Ash gave her a cheeky grin. "So brainstorm."

"And why is it my choice and not yours?" The blonde inquired. Ash just stared at her.

"Because you're a girl?" Cynthia shook her head at this response. The two roamed the market, chatting and window shopping. At last they found the shop they were looking for.

"Cerulean Blues." Cynthia read. "My pokedex said they sell beautiful souvenirs."

"C'mon already." Ash rolled his eyes and pushed Cynthia inside. The duo looked around the beautiful displays of jewelry, sculptures and more and were mesmerized.

"Hello there." The duo looked at the woman and were surprised to find none other than the receptionist at the gym.

"Aren't you…" Ash began.

"Daisy Waterflower from the Cerulean Gym?" She asked. "Yes."

"What are you doing here?" Cynthia questioned. Daisy cocked her head at the question.

"Wouldn't the shopkeeper be at their shop?" The blonde questioned. Seeing their startled looks, she laughed. "You're so oblivious. This is my shop, Cerulean Blues, and these beautifully crafted objects are my own creations."

It took a few more lines of conversation and more clarification before Ash and Cynthia were able to finally understand what Daisy was saying. "But why are you running a shop if you already have the gym and your shows?"

"This is more like a hobby of mine." Daisy responded. "I love to show my handiwork to anyone interested so the money's just a side bonus." They nodded in understanding.

"Though you would be making a great deal of money." Cynthia commented as she read the price tags on a few pieces. Daisy simply laughed.

"You won't believe how many pieces I give away to people." Seeing their questioned looks, she continued. "You know how Misty battles at the gym?" They nodded. "I like battling too." She admitted. "But since she's so passionate at it, I do the battling here. I let trainers fight me and if they win, then I let them take a sculpture we previously decided on a very low price."

"Meaning if we want to take one, we'll just have to fight you?" Ash questioned. Daisy pursed her lips.

"Better yet, I want to ask you something. Answer it and you can take any two pieces no matter the price." The duo was surprised at that.

"Um… ok?" Ash replied hesitantly.

"What's the question?" Cynthia asked, an analytical look in her eyes.

"How did your friendship begin?" She asked. "You're very close so it's obvious you know each other for a long time. So spill."

"…that's all?" Ash asked in surprise. Daisy nodded.

"That's… really convenient." Cynthia passed her two cents. Daisy shrugged.

"It is what it is. Now are you gonna reply or not?" Daisy pressed. Ash and Cynthia exchanged a glance before beginning.

 _Flashback…_

 _A lonely Cynthia sat in her room, bored and sad. She and her mother had just shifted to Pallet Town, and she had no friend to talk to. Her mother tried coaxing her into joining the other kids in their game but she denied._

 _How could she even fit in with them? They were all happy, cheerful, and… she didn't have any words. While she was withdrawn, gloomy, and a bookworm._

 _Maybe she would fit with the rumored smartest kid in Pallet Town, Leaf Verdant, seeing their common love and lust for knowledge. Or maybe she can just spend her spare time with Professor Oak._

 _There was a knock on the door. It was easy to hear since her room was on the bottom floor. "Cynthia!" Her mom called out. "Can you answer the door?"_

" _Ok." Cynthia got up and walked over to the door. "Who's there?" She called out, peering through the hole._

" _Hello?" A voice answered back. "We would like to meet with… um, what's her name again?" She could've imagined someone face faulting outside._

" _Cynthia Carolina Ash." A voice, presumably female, chided. "How could you forget something so basic?"_

" _I told you, he was the wrong person to consult." Another voice, this one male, teased. "Especially his mess up this morning."_

" _That was not my fault!" Ash countered. "You could've helped me you know!"_

" _And miss the epic moment? No way." Cynthia felt left out and awkward again._

" _Um…" She began._

" _Oh yeah." Ash turned back to the door. "Is Cynthia Carolina home?" Cynthia froze. They were talking about her. What would they want from her?_

 _Panicking, Cynthia hastily replied, "No!" She blurted out loudly, wincing at the harsh tone._

" _Um, ok." Ash said back. "Can you tell her that the Pallet Crew were there to recruit her?"_

" _Yeah." Cynthia replied._

" _Thank you." There was a few grumbles on the other side before the three left._

" _Who was there dear?" Her mom, a blonde just like her, asked._

" _The Pallet Crew." Cynthia replied, remembering her name. "Ash was there."_

" _And what did they want?" She questioned._

" _If- if I was home." Cynthia stuttered. Her mom sighed and walked over to her, crouching to her eye level._

" _Dear, how long will you stay all by yourself?" She inquired concerned. "Why don't you try setting in with the other kids? Surely they'll love to play with you."_

" _The kids yesterday weren't." Cynthia grumbled._

" _Not everyone is the same Cynthia." Her mom, Sophie, chided. "Do you think Ash would be like that?"_

" _N-no." Cynthia admitted hesitantly._

" _Then why do you be so shy around him?" Sophie inquired. "Go play with them Cynthia. Enjoy your life."_

" _But what about-" Cynthia was interrupted._

" _Me?" She nodded. "Don't worry about me girl. Go enjoy yourself." Cynthia nodded and slipped her shoes on._

" _You know his house address, right?" Cynthia nodded. "Go, you'll meet him on the road most probably." Cynthia left the house, picking up her speed._

 _Sophie smiled._

 _She found a boy with messy raven hair, another with spiky brown hair, and a girl with brown hair reaching her back chatting. The messy haired boy looked distraught._

" _I told you Ash, it was a mission doomed to be failed." The spiky haired brunette told him. "Everyone has a different nature, not everyone is the same."_

" _At least I tried!" Ash protested. "She'll fit in eventually."_

" _Ignore him Ash." Leaf told him. "He babbles a lot of useless stuff."_

" _What is that supposed to mean?!" The spiky haired boy protested._

" _I wonder if she'll participate in the Summer Camp." His face brightened. "It'll warm her up with us enough and she can become a part of the Pallet Crew."_

" _Yeah right." The spiky brunette snorted. "Knowing her, she'll most probably be buried under books like a bookworm."_

" _Shut up Gary." The girl snarled. "You're no better." Cynthia had reached them by them._

" _Yeah right. Ms. Know-it-" The girl stomped on his feet, making him yowl in pain. "Hello." She addressed Cynthia._

" _Hi." Cynthia replied awkwardly. The girl didn't seem too much deterred by that._

" _You must be Cynthia Carolina." She grabbed her hand and pulled her close to the trio. "My name is Leaf Verdant, he is Ash Ketchum," pointing at the messy haired teen, "And that blabbermouth there is Gary Oak."_

" _Nerd." Gary grumbled. Cynthia nodded awkwardly. Ash, seeing her hesitance, jumped in._

" _Don't worry! You'll be comfortable by the end of the evening! Just relax!" Ash told her. Cynthia took a deep breathe, remembering what her mom told her, and nodded._

" _Tell us about Sinnoh." Leaf suggested. "They say it's more chilly there than Kanto." The chats begun there. Including…_

" _It's way more bearable than Kanto." Cynthia added._

" _I'm pretty sure Kanto has its specialty too." Ash said in an annoyed tone._

" _I didn't say that!" Cynthia protested. "I was just talking about the temperature and humidity!"_

" _Ignore him. He's Lance's fan boy. And takes after him in patriotism." Gary inserted._

" _There's nothing wrong in being Lance's fan boy!" Leaf retorted. "Better than being the Sensational-"_

" _Moving on!"_

 _End of Flashback…_

"And that's how we met." Cynthia ended. Daisy seemed highly entertained by their story.

"Time to fulfill my end of the bargain." She gestured to the various assortments of sculptures. "Pick any two you like. One each." Ash and Cynthia did just that, picking two.

The blonde picked up a sculpture of a Vaporeon while Ash picked the one of a Gyarados. Showing them to Daisy and thanking her, the duo made for the exit.

"That was oddly convenient." Cynthia said .

"We got our gifts though. Let's send them to mom." Ash replied. "She'll be overjoyed! We'll have the best gifts this time."

"I hope so. Otherwise we'll have to gift nothing short of a Suicune." Cynthia joked. Ash cracked a grin at that.

On that note, let's end the chapter!

Xxx

 **Hope you guys liked this chapter! Would've uploaded sooner had I not been starved for internet access. From now on, I'll be responding to reviews to show the appreciation I have for your time so be sure to review!**

 **R &R folks! Your King out!**

 **List of Pokémon:**

 **Eevee: Quick Attack, Sand Attack, Shadow Ball. Dig. Iron Tail. Double Team, Swift, Bite. (Detect)**

 **Zeus: Thunder Shock, Nasty Plot, Thunder Wave, Iron Tail. Dig, Double Team, Feint, Nuzzle. (Volt Tackle).**

 **Skylar: Tackle, Quick Attack, Gust, Sand Attack, Aerial Ace, Steel Wing, and Double Team. (Sky Attack)**

 **Oceanus: Water Gun, Water Pulse, Tackle, Smokescreen, Agility, Bubble Beam, Whirlpool, Twister.**

 **Snivy: ?**

 **Cynthia Pokémon:**

 **Fenniken: Scratch, Hypnosis, Ember, Flame Burst, Quick Attack, Flame Charge, Howl, Bite. (Heat Wave).**

 **Nidoran:** **Tackle, Poison Sting, Confusion, Double Kick, Fury Attack, Peck, Focus Energy.**

 **Roselia: Mega Drain, Growth, Poison Sting, Magical Leaf, Leech Seed, Synthesis, Energy Ball.**

 **Buizel: ?**


	7. Battle Against Atrocity

**Holy moly! So many follows and favorites after the last update! You got me thinking what I had written in that particular chapter and reread it myself! Hope you liked Ash's and Cynthia's flashback and would you like more? Tell me in reviews!**

 **UltimateCCC: As shown before, Ash can make Pokémon be at ease with him. Besides, the foot of the bed looked pretty comfortable for our snake. ;)**

 **Hitgirl555: Thanks for the appreciation!**

 **Vince Basile Jr: Let's worry about it later and focus on other aspects. Kay?**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon. Ain't that lucky folks.**

Xxx

 **Battle Against Atrocity!**

"So Snivy…" Ash said after releasing the grass type from her pokéball. The Unova Starter fixed him with a leveled glare, arms crossed. "Bill said you had tons of potential. Want to showcase it in my fight against Misty?"

Snivy considered it. She knew what a trainer battle was and what role a trainer played. She would enjoy battling against a formidable foe but… could she trust Ash?

A trainer had to watch and guide its Pokémon through all sorts of hazards. They were like the extra eyes of a Pokémon, one which covered its weaknesses and what they couldn't spot. To work with maximum result, both had to trust the other completely with no doubt.

She didn't trust anyone. She could fight alone just fine. Snivy knew she could defeat his overgrown water horse alone without much trouble. Her Overgrow would help as well.

Ash, sensing her inner dilemma, added. "I know you don't trust me at all Snivy. I won't be guiding you in the battle. You can fight on your own accord. I'll only intervene when necessary. How does that sound?"

Snivy considered it. That was perfectly fine with her. Snivy nodded. Ash smiled. "I'm going to scan you to find out more about your species. Ok?" Snivy nodded.

Ash whipped out his pokedex and aimed it at the starter. **"Snivy the Grass Snake Pokémon. Cool, calm, and collected, Snivy use photosynthesis to collect energy with the leaf on its tail. This Snivy is Female and has the ability Overgrow. It knows the following moves: Vine Whip, Leer, Leaf Storm, Slam, Swords Dance, and Leaf Blade. Egg Move is Grassy Terrain."**

Ash considered Snivy's move set. All of its moves were grass types except Slam and she had no way for defense. Purely offensive oriented. Though Ash could teach her ways for coverage, he doubted Snivy would have mastered them in time for the Cerulean Gym Battle.

"You've got a nice move pool." Ash complimented. "Let's have a few test battles before the gym battle so I can get a feel of your style. Kay?" Snivy shrugged. She didn't care.

Ash spotted Cynthia training with Buizel a little distance away and waved at her. They were at the training fields behind the Pokémon Center. Perfect place for battles.

"What's up?" The blonde questioned.

"Want to have a battle?" Ash responded. Cynthia looked at Buizel who nodded eagerly. Snivy rolled her eyes at his eagerness for a fight and chalked it up to him being a male.

"Let's take our positions." The duo went to separate training boxes and settled inside. Their Pokémon all stood at the side to see the battle unfold.

"Fight on your own pace." Ash murmured to Snivy. "I'll intervene only when necessary. Okay?" Snivy gave a slight nod to acknowledge him. Buizel did a few punching motions as warm-up and gave a challenging cry to Snivy. Snivy didn't respond other than a disappointed look. She won't even have to use Overgrow to beat this vile, excuse of a Pokémon into oblivion!

"Buizel! Use Ice Beam!" Cynthia began. Buizel inhaled and then fired the arcing three way beam. Snivy elegantly jumped out of the way, spinning in the air with her hands out like blades. "Aqua Jet!"

Buizel didn't hesitate. Bursting forwards, it flew towards the airborne Snivy. The Grass Snake spun and slammed her tail into his jet, resulting in a stalemate.

The two struggled before breaking apart. "Ice Beam again!" Cynthia ordered. Buizel fired it off before even landing, catching Snivy in mid-air.

The Grass Snake, caught off guard, was unable to defend. The Ice Beam struck her on the chest and sent her tumbling down. Recovering quickly, Snivy darted to the side, dodging an Aqua Jet.

Her eyes narrowed and she unleashed a hurricane of leaves. "Aqua Jet out of the way!" Cynthia ordered. Buizel quickly obeyed and managed to avoid the myriad of sharp leaves.

Snivy quickly used Swords Dance to negate the downside of Leaf Storm and used Vine Whip. Buizel easily dodged the vines and fired back a Sonic Boom.

Snivy jumped again, letting it strike below her, and used another Leaf Storm. "Ice Beam into Aqua Jet!" Cynthia hollered. Buizel fired the arcing beam, meeting the Leaf Storm in half, and froze the majority of them. Then, enveloping himself in water flew straight into the frozen leaves.

Slamming and breaking through them, it reached Snivy on the other side. Snivy had a surprise ready for him though. Her Leaf Blade slammed into Buizel's back and sent him pummeling into the ground.

She then spun for another Leaf Blade. Buizel snarled, rolling out of the way, and fired an Ice Beam just as Snivy slammed into his previous position. Snivy gasped in pain and was unable to dodge the follow-up Aqua Jet.

"Water Gun!" Cynthia carried on her momentum. Snivy was sent skidding down and was blasted further by Water Gun. She rolled to a stop, breathing heavily.

Buizel was ready for another Ice Beam when Ash yelled "Stop!" Buizel stopped and Cynthia called him back to her side. Ash ran over to Snivy, wincing at the ice coating her. Buizel's Ice Beams were no joke.

"Are you okay?" Ash questioned the Grass Snake Pokémon. Snivy didn't reply, trying to get up. Ash scooped her up in his arms, frowning when the Grass Snake went almost limp.

Surely Buizel didn't hurt her that bad.

Cynthia walked over to him and winced at Snivy's condition. "Guess we overdid it."

"Something else is wrong." Ash replied. "Besides being underweight, Bill didn't mention anything else. Then why is Snivy so weak?"

"What do you mean?" Cynthia asked confused.

"I suspect something's wrong." He gestured to the Pokémon center. "Let's give her to Nurse Joy. She'll heal her and check up on her too." Cynthia nodded and called Buizel over too.

He did take a nasty Leaf Blade.

Xxx

Nurse Joy, after giving Snivy a look over, asked for her medical file. Ash was surprised at the name. He didn't know Pokémon had one. The Nurse told him that Pokémon who got recovered from abusive places had a medical history.

After giving Nurse Joy the file he obtained from Bill and letting her study it, Ash was giving the answer. "Mentally, Snivy is fine other than trust issues. She doesn't trust anyone at all. But the problem lies physically. She suffers from fatigue and being underweight doesn't help either."

"She needs a rich diet. And exercise daily is advised to let her get used to movement." Seeing their worried looks, she smiled. "It's nothing to worry about. About a month of well care will set her up just fine. For extra care, you can offer her massages and spend some more bonding time with her alone."

"I doubt she'll even let me get close to her." Ash commented wryly. "But I'll try. Thanks a lot Nurse Joy."

"My pleasure." She smiled back. "She's resting in her pokéball currently." Nurse Joy handed Snivy's Luxury Ball back to Ash. Ash grabbed it and nodded.

Taking their leave, the duo walked out of the Pokémon Center. "What's the plan now?" Cynthia asked.

"I'm going to challenge Misty. I'll go with Oceanus, Zeus, and Eevee." Ash responded. "I think I got enough practice at Route 24 and 25."

"Let's go after grabbing some lunch then."

"Sounds like a plan."

Xxx

Turns out the Sensational Sisters had a show today. Our duo realized, with some disappointment, that they would have to wait for their gym battle. On the plus side, they were going to see the show.

"Excited?" Ash questioned. Cynthia shrugged.

"I'm not that interested in these things to be honest." The blonde admitted. "I just want to give it a try. See what's so special in these things."

The two found their seats easily and sat down. They were a bit early and so, had ample time. Chit chatting to cross the time, it wasn't long before people began to fill in.

The duo was surprised at the various ages. From little kids to aged adults, everyone was present. Most of them seemed to be from Cerulean City judging by the Native Pokémon besides them. Though some seemed to be from far.

Ash had his Eevee and Snivy out. It was written on the "Rules & Regulations" that you could have one Pokémon out if they were tiny enough. Ash had three Pokémon that matched the size requirement and called out Eevee and Snivy out.

Cynthia told him that Fenniken had enough of water for a while and Roselia was sleeping in her pokéball. Buizel didn't like such shows and Nidoran was too aggressive due to his nearing evolution.

So Ash decided to bring out Eevee for her and Snivy for him, figuring it'll give them some time to bond. What he didn't know for certain were would Snivy enjoy the show? Only time would tell.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" The host called in the mic. Everyone had their attention on her. "Introducing…. The Sensational Sisters!" She hollered. The entire crowd roared in response.

Ash and co winced at the loud yell. Snivy snarled in irritation but Eevee managed to calm her down somewhat. The three sisters jumped from a high platform into the water gracefully, water splashing at their landing.

They began to swim in beautiful formations; a huge smile plastered on their faces, as Water Pokémon began joined them in perfect sync. The show lasted for about twenty minutes and boy were they entertained.

Our double duo was mesmerized the entire time. Even Snivy, who wasn't showing much interest in the beginning, was beginning to show a little awe at the flawlessness they displayed. The remaining three were, naturally, bowled over.

After the show ended, which consisted of various types of moves and combinations thrown together for beauty, interesting extra effects, elegant movements, and the beauty of the Sensational Sisters, the crowd gave them a standing ovation.

"Enjoyed?" Ash asked Snivy. The Grass Type snorted at his question. Hell would she ever admit she enjoyed! The four walked out of the arena after that into the gym lobby.

"That was fun and all but time for my gym battle." Ash commented, stretching.

"Finally catching up Ashy-boy." Ash froze at the arrogant tone. Only one person called him that.

"Gary?!" Ash turned around and saw the spiky brown haired individual walking towards him cockily.

"Sup." He greeted them. "How's it going Ashy-boy, and Blondie?" He smirked when Cynthia's eyebrow twitched.

"Don't call me that." She responded in a leveled tone. Ash chuckled amusedly at her reaction.

"Thing have been fine Gary." Ash replied for both of them. "Pretty smooth, actually."

"You got the Cascade Badge?"

"Only I have it. Ash is about to get it." Cynthia informed. Gary whistled.

"I just got it. Wartotle creamed her Goldeen." Gary boasted.

"So you got a Squirtle for your starter." Ash nodded.

"What did you get?"

"Eevee right here."

"Fenniken." Cynthia said, showing Gary her pokéball. Their childhood friend whistled.

"Both rare Pokémon indeed." They decided to hide the fact that Ash also had a Snivy and Seadra and Cynthia had a Roselia and Buizel.

Good thing Ash had returned Snivy or Gary would've been on the end of Vine Whips.

"You signed up for the Gym Battle?" Misty interrupted. The trio focused on the gym leader.

"Remember me?" Ash waved. Misty thought for a few moments before responding,

"Nope." She gave a curt look to him. "Come; let's have your Gym Battle." She sauntered off, leaving a surprised Ash behind.

"Someone's pissed off." He commented.

"She's just mad I destroyed her team." Gary boasted. "Hey. Can I see your Gym Battle?"

"Sure. Knock yourself out." Ash answered. He then walked after Misty, his friends following him.

They reached the battlefield and Ash entered into his position. In front of him, Misty had an Ultra Ball clenched in her hand. That surprised Ash. Ultra Balls were used for Pokémon who were too strong to catch with ordinary balls.

He briefly wondered if Misty had a pseudo-legendary with her in that ball and shuddered.

"This one is going to be a special battle!" Misty hollered. "I'll use one Pokémon while you can use three. The battle will be over when one side is out of usable Pokémon. You can substitute! If you win, you get the badge alongside a TM. Agreed?"

Ash considered the rules. If Misty did have a strong Pokémon in that Ultra Ball, then he could use the handicap. The prospect of a TM didn't hurt either.

TM was short for Technical Machines. They were disc like packets which contained the information for a particular move. Pokémon on the receiving end of a TM got the move down instantly most of the time. It was the time taken to master it that required training.

"Done."

"We choose Pokémon together." Ash nodded again and clenched Skylar's pokéball. He needed to get a feel for the Pokémon inside the Ultra Ball. Skylar was perfect for it. She could fly, negating the Water Field disadvantage, her speed was pretty fast, and she packed a punch.

"Let's go then!" Misty tossed the Ultra Ball. Ash threw his pokéball at too. Both opened and energy pooled out of each. Skylar came out, taking to the skies instantly. In front of her, the golden energy from the Ultra Ball formed into a serpentine form.

It finished materializing to show…

"A Gyarados!?" Ash yelled in alarm. The opponent roared intimidatingly at Skylar, the bird quickly backing from her. Misty gave Ash a cruel grin.

"Good luck beating her." She mumbled. In the stands, Cynthia and Gary were both astonished shitless.

"Ash has to defeat that?" Cynthia questioned in fear. Gary nodded grimly.

"Seems like it." The duo fixed their eyes on Ash who was eyeing the Atrocious Pokémon with an analytic look.

' _I have to deliver some solid hits with Skylar.'_ Ash thought. _'Or rather, Skylar can draw out his moves. Then Zeus can move in and hopefully paralyze him. Then it's up to Oceanus and Skylar.'_

Ash nodded at the plan. "Finished daydreaming?" Misty asked from her side. Ash nodded expression neutral. "You have the first move. Enjoy." While Ash did frown at her arrogant tone, he didn't let it mess with him.

"Quick Attack!" Skylar squawked and blurred into motion. She slammed into Gyarados, moving away before he could hit her back. "Keep it up!" Skylar didn't respond other than moving and ramming into Gyarados.

Gyarados growled in irritation at the tan blur. Misty whistled and he dove into the water. Skylar quickly took to the roof, keeping a sharp eye on the water.

"Double Team. Quick Attack and Steel Wing." Ash ordered. Skylar blurred again, copies splitting off her and joining her in the air.

"Aqua Twister Gyarados." Misty ordered simply. Gyarados roared in agreement and the water swirled into a tornado. The draconic energy, having more solid material to use, turned into a deadly watery twister.

"Draw back." Skylar obliged and placed some distance between her and the Twister. Ash tried to find out what Misty was trying to do and ran some calculations.

A minute passed as the Twister kept raging on. All the while Ash was trying to figure out what Misty was aiming for. Growing impatient, he ordered an offense.

"Quick Attack into Steel Wing!" Ash ordered. Skylar, also growing tired of the wait, dove towards the water tornado. Misty smirked.

"Aqua Tail!" From the Twister came the strike. Skylar squawked in surprise as her Steel Wing was parried and overpowered by a muscular water enveloped tail.

"Straighten up!" Ash ordered. Skylar quickly composed herself and flew higher, eyeing the Aqua Twister warily. _'Okay. So the Aqua Twister is a very nice offense as well as defense. Skylar cannot break through it that easily. But there must be a weak point…'_

"What is Misty aiming for?" Cynthia murmured, her hair swaying due to the Aqua Twister.

"Who knows?" Gary shrugged. "Ash better be careful though."

"Quick Attack Skylar." Ash ordered. "Don't stay in one place. Keep moving!" Skylar squawked and burst into speed. Misty watched Ash's attempts with a disappointed look.

"Rain Dance. Then Thunder." Ash's eyes widened in shock. Within the tornado, Gyarados danced and rain clouds formed above them. Then, thunder cracked and a bolt of lightning went sailing towards Skylar.

"Steel Wing! Block it!" Ash hollered desperately. Skylar quickly steeled both of her wings and held them in front of the Thunder. It struck and Skylar was illuminated with lightning. Her Steel Wing defended to the best of its ability before faltering.

Skylar shrieked as the remaining bolt hit her. Thankfully, the bolt had lost most of its power by then. The Pidgeotto gathered her breathe and burst into speed again.

"That was a nice save." Cynthia sighed in relief.

"Yeah." Gary mumbled. "Misty has more surprises in her hand though. I'm sure." Ash clenched Skylar's pokéball.

"Skylar return!" Ash hollered, calling her back. "Rest up girl. I'll need you sooner or later." Pocketing her pokéball, Ash pulled out another one. "You may be clever Misty but I ain't losing this one!" Ash tossed the pokéball. Zeus came out, cheeks sparking at Gyarados.

"Trying to capitalize on the Rain Dance huh." Misty chuckled. "Good luck with that." Gyarados roared and suddenly, the Rain Dance dispersed.

"Gr." Ash growled, his advantage thrown away. "Zeus, use Quick Attack!" Zeus burst into speed, moving from one platform to another at high speeds.

"You just love Quick Attack don't you?" Misty smiled. Her smiled turned into an aggressive look. "Aqua Twister! Let it rip!" There was a roar and Gyarados whipped the Aqua Twister towards Zeus.

"Nasty Plot twice into Thunderbolt!" Ash countered. Zeus sparked his cheeks, boosting his energy, and let rip a large lance of electricity. The Aqua Twister and the Thunderbolt met, dispersing the other easily.

"Crunch!" Gyarados burst from behind Zeus, jaw wide open. Zeus squealed in surprise.

"Iron Tail!" Ash clenched his fist. Zeus's tail steeled itself and he swung it at the Crunch. Gyarados bit down on the steely appendage, breaking through the Iron Tail despite the type match up. "Now Thunder Wave!"

"Back!" Misty ordered sharply. Gyarados was too slow. Zeus let loose the paralyzing energy and caught Gyarados just as he was rearing back.

"Thunderbolt again!" Ash ordered. Zeus let rip the blast, catching Gyarados by surprise. Misty bit her lip as the boosted Thunderbolt delivered a potent zap to her serpent.

"Flamethrower!" She growled. The stream of hot flames raced towards Zeus, forcing the Thunderbolt back.

"Into the water." Ash ordered, knowing Zeus couldn't overpower the Flamethrower. Zeus quickly stepped back and dropped into the water. The Flamethrower hit the platform and the water around it, evaporating water and making some mist. "Nasty Plot into Thunderbolt again!"

Zeus let loose another Thunderbolt straight into the water. Gyarados roared in pain as the whole pool was electrified. Ash grinned at Misty's expression.

"Don't let up!" Ash ordered. Gyarados was given a brief respite before the shock began again.

"Aqua Twister! Churn the water up!" Misty commanded. Gyarados roared and the water was swirled again into a Twister. Zeus, visible due to the electricity arcing off him, was caught into the Twister.

"Nasty Plot again into Charge! Boost as much as you could!" Ash ordered. He needed to deal as much damage as he could to Gyarados before Zeus fainted. The Pikachu, while thrashing around in the Twister, managed.

"Finish him with Aqua Tail!" Misty barked. "Finish this!" Gyarados growled and swung his tail at the trapped mouse.

"Iron Tail! Climb in the air!" Ash ordered. Zeus understood his command and steeled his tail. Swinging it down with little force, he let it withstand the blow of the Aqua Tail. Zeus was sent flying out of the tornado into the air.

"Flamethrower! End this!" Misty ordered, desperate to finish the Electric Mouse before he could wreck her serpent anymore. Gyarados roared and tried to unleash fire.

Unfortunately for him, paralysis kicked in.

Fortunately for Ash, this was the opening he needed.

"Volt Tackle!" Ash swung his arm in a dropping meteor motion. Zeus let out a battle cry as he reached the apex of his flight. Dropping down, a coating of powerful electricity surrounded him.

"Move!" Misty cried out desperately. Gyarados tried to but the paralysis didn't allow him. Zeus plowed into his forehead, unleashing all of his charge into him.

The resulting explosion almost blew Ash and Misty off their feet. Gary whistled at the power Zeus packed while Cynthia grinned. Misty stared at Gyarados with a stunned look while Ash searched for his mouse.

Gyarados wasn't moving for a few seconds before groaning and getting up. Misty sighed in relief as her Pokémon got up, breathing heavily. Zeus, meanwhile, was trying to climb on a platform, completely tired and out of juice. Gyarados got up, glaring at the Electric Mouse.

"Aqua Tail Gyarados. Finish him." Gyarados raised his tail and delivered a powerful hit, sending Zeus flying away. It landed on a platform, unconscious.

Ash returned his Electric Mouse, praising his valiant effort. Gyarados moved back to Misty, glaring at Ash. Said trainer overlooked the dragon. All those Thunderbolt and Volt Tackle must've dealt some serious damage.

Keeping that in mind, Ash released Skylar. The avian took to the skies, glaring at Gyarados with determination. "Stay careful Skylar. He has already defeated Zeus." She nodded.

"In the water Gyarados." Misty commented. Gyarados dove into the water, moving fast. Ash considered what move to make. It was evident Gyarados was tired and hurt from Zeus's shocks. Misty must be playing defensive by now.

"Quick Attack." Ash opened up. Skylar began to zoom around the battlefield, conserving stamina.

"Twister." Ash growled at the strategy. Gyarados roared and formed the familiar draconic tornado. Skylar quickly formed some distance between her and the Twister.

"Hydro Pump." Gyarados unleashed the large stream of water towards Skylar who easily dodged it. Ash scoffed at the aim. Dustox was way harder to dodge.

"Skylar, charge up." Ash ordered. Skylar moved higher in the air, slowing down and concentrating. Misty looked at him and the avian closely.

Suddenly, the Twister faltered. Ash grinned as Gyarados suffered from paralysis and the Twister lost most of its ferocity.

"What's Ash trying now?" Gary questioned.

"Something similar to Zeus's Volt Tackle I think." Cynthia replied. "This Twister strategy is getting pretty old. Misty should try something new by now."

Skylar shrieked at Ash to signify she was ready. By now, Gyarados had composed himself and was forming its Twister back up. "Misty, time to put an end to this."

Skylar began to glow like an angel, white flames forming around her. She fixed Gyarados with a sharp eye, and began her descent.

"Hydro Pump Gyarados! Push her back!" Misty ordered, not replying to the taunts. Gyarados roared and unleashed his powerful stream. It raced towards the incoming Skylar.

"Skylar. Sky Attack." The Pidgeotto shrieked and cut through the Hydro Pump with mild difficulty, meeting Gyarados on the other end and slamming into him with all of her might.

The ensuing explosion was enough to make the psychic barriers flare up. The Titan of Water gave one final groan before falling down. Skylar, talons buried in his neck, shrieked victoriously.

"Gyarados…" Misty whispered. Skylar gave a triumphant shriek, looking at Ash with pride, chest puffed out. Ash gave her a nod and a bright smile.

She tiredly flew back to Ash, landing on his shoulder and nipping at his ear. Ash chuckled and stroked her crest, uttering praises. Misty recalled her Atrocious Pokémon, staring at the Ultra Ball with shock.

"Epic delivery of the Sky Attack Skylar." Ash praised. "But we need to cut the charging time and effort to use it. You can barely stand right now." It was true. The Pidgeotto was tired beyond belief. Ash returned her to her pokéball to rest.

"You're even better than Cynthia." Misty spoke suddenly. Ash saw the carrot head looking at him with interest. "Come back after you have more badges and experience. I won't turn down a real fight." She gave Ash a smirk and handed him his Cascade Badge.

Sauntering off, she was stopped by Ash. "Where's my TM?" Misty gave him a sly look and gestured to his pocket. Ash reached into it and found, to his surprise, a bright blue TM.

"Be more alert." She gave a laugh and walked off. Ash shrugged at her strange behavior and turned around to join his friends.

He needed to cool off now. The battle was over.

Xxx

"That was one explosive battle Ash." Gary praised. "Why don't we have a Two-on-two battle? You have five Pokémon, right? And you can fight with two."

"You want me to fight right after my Gym Battle?" Ash asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yup."

"Sounds legit." Cynthia shook her head at their attitude.

"Boys." She rolled her eyes. "Let's have lunch first. Then you can have your fight."

The trio entered the Pokémon Center, going straight to Nurse Joy. Handing her Skylar and Zeus's pokéball, they made way straight to the Pokémon Center's cafeteria.

Sitting down after grabbing their share of food, the trio began to chat. "How was my gym battle?" Ash questioned the two.

"It was nice." Cynthia admitted. "Gyarados was a tough opponent to take down but you managed. Congo on that."

"You were pretty hasty." Gary commented. "You had a strategy but most of the time you wanted Gyarados to just faint. Like with your Pikachu's Volt Tackle and Pidgeotto's Sky Attack. You should've considered their level and the exhaustion of using those moves too."

"The recoil of Volt Tackle is pretty high at the moment." Ash admitted. "Plus, the voltage required cannot be produced at a moment's notice. Zeus had to charge up a lot to even use it so obviously he will get tired."

"How does your Pikachu know Volt Tackle and Pidgeotto Sky Attack?" Gary asked curiously. "I know for a fact those are tough moves to learn and use. Only experienced Pokémon use them. Then how can they use it too?"

"They had them as Egg Moves." Ash answered. "That was the first time I let them use such moves in battles. They're pretty exhausting."

"True." The three way conversation continued on and on in idle chatter, their lunch long devoured but the chatting not slowing down at all.

"How many Pokémon do you have?" Gary questioned.

"Five." Ash responded.

"Four." Cynthia answered. Gary stared at them with a nod.

"I have ten by now." He grinned at their flabbergasted looks. "I'm capturing every Pokémon I find on the way. One per species. Will train them later on."

"And you have two badges, right?" Ash questioned. Gary nodded. "What types?"

"I have Water, Normal, Rock, Ground, Poison etc." Gary listed. "Most of the basic types found normally. No rare Pokémon as of yet though." He got up, stretching. "As much as I would like to continue this idle chit chat of ours and battle later, I want to sleep."

"This soon?" Ash asked questioningly.

"The latest Pokémon I've captured is giving me one hell of a time." He replied. "Don't know what's wrong with him." He waved at the duo. "Besides, we have chatted for a long time. Goodbye dudes."

"Bye." Once he had left, Cynthia faced Ash. "What's the plan?" Ash shrugged.

"We're leaving tomorrow for Rock Tunnel." Ash responded. "So might as well stock up and rest." The blonde nodded and got up.

"I'm going to go stock up on supplies. Want to come along?" She asked. Ash nodded and got up as well. He had nothing better to do anyway. The duo made their way out of the Pokémon center, grabbing Zeus and Skylar's pokéball on the way, and made way to the mart.

"Let's get some Dusk Balls." Cynthia suggested. "We're almost out of normal pokéballs too."

"The Dusk Balls will be useful in Rock Tunnel, right?" The blonde nodded. "So far we have three Net Balls from Viridian and a few normal pokéballs."

"Rock Tunnel has a load of Pokémon, ranging from Zubat to Sandshrew. I'm personally looking forward to capture the latter." Cynthia informed him.

"They say Aron are found in rarity inside too." Ash said, remembering reading about the evolutionary line. "In the deeper levels. Might as well try to get one."

"The Pokémon in the deeper levels are pretty strong though." Cynthia stated.

"So are we." Ash grinned. "Buizel and Oceanus alone can handle any Rock or Ground Type. Zeus for the Zubat."

"True." The duo reached the mart and entered inside. "We'll like a few repels, potions, and pokéballs please." The lady inside smiled.

"Sure. How much?" She questioned.

"About six?" Cynthia looked at Ash who nodded. "Six repels about two dozen potions, a dozen pokéballs, and six Dusk Balls." The lady was a bit surprised at the large order.

"Are you two planning to stay in Mt Moon or in the wild?" She questioned.

"Kind of." Ash said sheepishly. The lady told one of the employees to fetch the items.

"That'll be about…" She handed them the receipt. The duo was shocked at the amount. Evenly dividing the money amongst themselves, they handed the amount to the lady.

The employee returned after a little while and handed them their supplies. Taking their leaves, the duo walked out towards the Pokémon Center.

"Why do we spend so much at a Pokémon mart anyway?" Ash questioned. Cynthia shrugged.

"We'll need them." The two made way to their rooms and laid out the items. "Three repels one dozen potions, six pokéballs, and three Dusk Balls each." They divided the supplies and pocketed them.

"Now about our food." They stood up.

"Can you get it?" Ash questioned Cynthia. "I need to work a little on Snivy's exercise and bond with her a little."

"Sure." Ash handed Cynthia his portion of money and accompanied her to the exit. They split up there, one going towards the city, the other going towards the training fields.

Ash grabbed his lone Luxury Ball and tossed it, revealing his Unovan Grass Type. "Hey Snivy." Ash greeted, crouching to her eye level. "Earlier today, you collapsed mid fight."

Snivy lowered her eyes at the memory. "Don't worry girl." Ash assured her. "I won't let it happen again." Snivy looked at him questioningly. "But for that to happen, you have to trust me."

Snivy looked away almost immediately at that. Hell would she trust anyone! Ash sighed at her reaction. "The doctor said you're underweight." Snivy paused in her thoughts. "The only way to recover is to eat more and eat well. And work on exercises daily."

"All I want is for you to be strong Snivy." Ash continued. "Bill said that you didn't eat a thing out of his hand without him proving it wasn't to harm you. We can do the same thing."

Snivy nodded. That was fair game. "Due to your underweight problem, you get tired pretty easy and can faint when strained. We can only achieve that by making you healthy. So, let's do some basic exercises. Okay?"

Snivy shook her head. She didn't want to. "Eevee will be accompanying you. How about that?" Snivy pointed to him with her Vine Whip. "You want me to exercise too?"

She nodded. If Eevee and Snivy were training, then who was to say Ash shouldn't? Ash shrugged before nodding. "Okay then." Ash took off his jacket and tossed it to a bench.

He released his starter who yipped in excitement. "First we'll be doing…"

Xxx

Ash nearly collapsed as the exercises ended. Snivy was next to him, breathing heavily but otherwise okay. Eevee was, unsurprisingly, a bit tired but still capable.

"God damn." Ash wheezed. "How do you guys have so much stamina?" Snivy knew the question wasn't directed towards her so she didn't reply. Eevee yipped amusedly.

"How're your holding up?" Ash questioned Snivy. She answered him with a nod. "Better than me that's for sure." Ash muttered jokingly. He then got up and wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Okay, the next exercise is a game of tag. No moves so it's fair."

Snivy shrugged while Eevee nodded. Ash half-heartedly touched Eevee who grinned. "Tag, you're it." The trio began the game of tag. What Ash wanted to achieve with this was simple.

1\. Snivy could use the exercise. She wasn't physically fit enough to battle yet.

2\. A light hearted game could open her up more to Ash and the others.

Ash decided to release all of his Pokémon. "Guys! We're playing tag! No moves! Skylar, don't climb up too much. Stay in our reach. Let's go!" The six began the game anew.

Zeus and Eevee were, naturally, at the top of the game due to their speed while Skylar was just behind. She had trouble making sharp turns and the others utilized it to the fullest.

Snivy felt more at ease playing with the others, something Ash noted with pride. The Grass Type was opening up, however small the change. It was the change that counted anyway.

"Ok." Ash panted, huffing for breathe like a dog. "I give up. You guys continue." He struggled to a bench and collapsed on it.

"Having fun I see." Ash opened one of his eyes and saw Cynthia smirking at him. The blonde sat beside him and handed him a towel.

"How long were you here?" Ash asked. Cynthia smirked.

"You were so out of place there." She commented. "All of them being fast Pokémon and then a slow human being the brunt of the game."

Ash grinned as Eevee chased after Zeus with all her speed. The Electric Mouse was almost in reach but made a sharp turn, his tail helping a lot. Eevee zipped past him and Zeus snickered mischievously.

Cynthia released her Pokémon as well, the four joining in. Well, Buizel wanted to rebel but a stern look from Cynthia made it reluctantly join in.

"Why don't you join them?" Ash asked. Cynthia gave him a joking look at that.

"Are you joking?" Ash shook his head. "It seems like one."

"I played tag with them didn't I?" Ash replied. "Why don't you?"

"Because-" They were interrupted by a bright flash of light. The duo and all the Pokémon stared at the evolving Pokémon, Cynthia's Nidoran. "About time." Cynthia smiled.

Nidoran finished evolving and roared, this time as a Nidorino. Cynthia got up to congratulate him while Ash got up to rejoin them. After a few minutes of congratulations to Nidorino and rest, Ash managed to force Cynthia into joining them.

The resulting game of tag was pretty fun.

Xxx

"Ready?" Cynthia asked Ash. The two stood at the gate of Route 9. Ash nodded.

"Always." The two stared at the long route. Already having informed their parents about their plan to stay in Rock Tunnel and train for a while and expand their team, the two were raring to go.

"Next stop, the Rock Tunnel."

Xxx

 **And with that, another chapter is finalized! The end was a bit subpar quality, I think, so I apologize for that. The following chapters will involve more in depth character development and a few new captures so be prepared!**

 **The next upload will take some time because of the above mentioned reasons. So please be patient.**

 **R &R guys! It gives me a lot of motivation and I finalize chapters pretty fast that way. Until then, You're King Signing Out!**

 **List of Pokémon:**

 **Eevee: Quick Attack, Sand Attack, Shadow Ball. Dig. Iron Tail. Double Team, Swift, Bite. (Detect)**

 **Zeus: Thunder Bolt, Nasty Plot, Thunder Wave, Iron Tail, Dig, Double Team, Feint, Nuzzle, Charge. (Volt Tackle)**

 **Skylar: Tackle, Quick Attack, Gust, Sand Attack, Aerial Ace, Steel Wing, and Double Team. (Sky Attack)**

 **Oceanus: Water Gun, Water Pulse, Tackle, Smokescreen, Agility, Bubble Beam, Whirlpool, Twister.**

 **Snivy: Vine Whip, Leer, Leaf Storm, Slam, Swords Dance, and Leaf Blade. (Grassy Terrain)**

 **Cynthia Pokémon:**

 **Fenniken: Scratch, Hypnosis, Ember, Flame Burst, Quick Attack, Flame Charge, Howl, Bite. (Heat Wave).**

 **Nidorino:** **Tackle, Poison Sting, Confusion, Double Kick, Fury Attack, Peck, Focus Energy.**

 **Roselia: Mega Drain, Growth, Poison Sting, Magical Leaf, Leech Seed, Synthesis, Energy Ball.**

 **Buizel: Water Gun, Sonic Boom, Ice Punch, Ice Beam, Vacuum Wave, Aqua Jet, Ice Fang.**


	8. Bulbasaur the Ambassador Pokemon

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.**

 **UltimateCCC: He's missing a lot of things my friend. He has no proper counter against Ghost Types, for example. Thanks for the insight though. It helped me plan a recent event.**

Xxx

 **Bulbasaur The Ambassador Pokémon!**

Route 9 was a fairly long route with many strong trainers and wild Pokémon. It was the perfect place if one wanted to train or catch some new additions to their team.

For Ash and Cynthia, it was a little of both columns. Ash wanted to bond more with his Pokémon over the route while Cynthia wanted to learn more about the wild Pokémon.

"They say there's an abandoned Power Plant near the exit of Rock Tunnel." Ash told Cynthia conversationally. "We could visit there while we're in the area."

"I read about it." The blonde replied. "It's off limits to trainers under four badges due to security reasons."

"What's so big and scary in it anyway?" Ash questioned. "Other than Electric Types."

'You really think you can defeat Electric Types near large resources of electricity when two of your Pokémon are weak to said type? And you have no type advantage against it?" Cynthia questioned.

"Hm." Ash frowned in deep thought. "Good question." Cynthia resisted the urge to face palm. "Hey! I defeated Misty's Gyarados didn't I?"

"Because of Zeus's Type Advantage." Cynthia reminded. "You would've been hard pressed if you didn't have that."

"True." Ash admitted. Snivy on his shoulder rolled her eyes. Leave it to a female to set a male straight. "Snivy seems to agree." Ash commented seeing her expression.

"She's sensible." Cynthia added. "Unlike someone." The blonde commented, grinning innocently and looking away.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Snivy resisted the urge to crack a smile at that. The blonde knew just what to do to rile Ash up. His reactions were pretty funny too.

"Moving on." Cynthia began after a small giggle. "How did your exercise go today morning?"

"I almost collapsed." Ash replied with a wince. "My left shoulder is still aching." He said, rolling it.

"I thought you learned by yesterday that Pokémon are humans are different." Cynthia scolded softly. "I'm sure Snivy would understand." The Grass Type shrugged. She herself half-expected Ash to back out of the exercise today.

"Nah." Ash flashed her his trademark grin. "Besides, I'm getting fitter." He flexed his bicep jokingly only to wince. "Okay, not so fit." Snivy shook his head at his reaction.

She jumped from his shoulder to Cynthia, realizing Ash was indeed in pain. The blonde flashed her a smile. "Thanks girl." Snivy pointedly looked away at that. Cynthia did her best to hide her disappointment.

Ash readjusted his backpack now that his shoulder was unoccupied and stared at the route. "It'll take us approximately one and a half week if we hurry."

"And if we don't?" Cynthia questioned.

"Two weeks or more." Ash answered. "Personally, I would rather spend more time on this route. It'll give me more time to bond with my team. Plus, the wild area is pretty versatile here. We can catch a new Pokémon and Snivy can settle pretty well here if she wants to leave."

"True." Cynthia replied. "A lot of Grass Types make their home in this route. Snivy will fit in just fine." She played along. The blonde did notice Snivy giving her a sideways glance at this.

"Skylar come on out!" Ash tossed her pokéball in the air. The avian came out and flew over to his shoulder. "Hey girl." Ash smiled, scratching under her beak as she nipped his ear playfully. "Go stretch your wings."

Skylar did as said, moving into the air and flying over them half-heartedly. "How long are we gonna train in Rock Tunnel?" Ash questioned Cynthia.

"About a few weeks tops." The blonde responded. "We're gonna capture Ghost Types in Lavender Town and some Pokémon in Rock Tunnel so its best we bond with our current Pokémon as much as we can."

"If I capture more than one Pokémon, it'll go straight to Professor Oak." Ash mentioned. "That'll be problematic."

"…I just realized that." The blonde responded a moment. "Our limits are about to maximize."

"Finally!" Ash exclaimed happily. "I'm not the only person clueless this time!"

"You have your moments." Cynthia commented. "Or it'll be hard to tolerate you." She joked.

"Ha ha." Ash rolled his eyes. "So funny." Cynthia lightly elbowed him.

"That's my gesture!" She complained. Ash rolled his eyes again.

"Sure." He chuckled at Cynthia's deadpan look. The blonde was about to reply when she saw a trainer approach them. "Here comes the first battle."

"Mind taking it?" Cynthia asked. "I wanna relax a bit." Ash nodded and stepped forward. The trainer stood a bit away from him and released his Pokémon, a Sandshrew.

"Hey Snivy." Ash called to his Pokémon. "Wanna fight?" The Grass Type examined the Sandshrew. Frowning, she shook her head. "Oceanus I choose you!"

Ash's Seadra came out, regarding the Ground Type with an intimidating stare. The Sandshrew shrunk a bit uncomfortably. Ash's opponent stared at the Seadra with awe.

"Where did you get him?" He asked.

"Cerulean City." Ash responded. "You have the first move."

The battle was pretty quick. While the Sandshrew was fast, Oceanus had way too much raw energy for it to handle. Cloaking his side in Smokescreen, he tackled Sandshrew back and pelted him with Bubble Beam.

His other Pokémon, a Geodude and a Rattata, both fell to Oceanus. Ash had called out Eevee for the last one, wanting her to warm up. Eevee nailed the sneaky mouse with one powerful Iron Tail.

"That was fast." Cynthia commented as the trainer walked away. Ash had offered Eevee his other shoulder, lifting her up with a wince.

"Oceanus is one monster eh?" Ash smirked. The duo continued down the route, fighting trainers and cleaving through them with ease. Cynthia got more practice with Buizel and the newly evolved Nidorino, letting the latter get more used to his form by walking besides her.

She noted that the Poison Type was pretty protective of her. He would growl now and then to scare off any Wild Pokémon around them. The blonde felt a bit guilty at the fact she didn't spend much type with him.

Eevee and Snivy were chatting, as usual. The former was the only one Snivy was that carefree with. And even then she was reserved and almost monotonous.

Skylar enjoyed the freedom granted to her by Ash and tested sharp turns and flight patterns in the air. She remembered what May had taught her in Viridian Forest and practiced incorporating them into her normal flight.

Nidorino grunted suddenly, catching Cynthia's attention. "What's up?" The blonde asked the Poison Type. Nidorino gestured with his head towards a particular area.

"Hey Ash." Cynthia spoke up quietly. "Nidorino is sensing something." Ash looked at the blonde and then at her Poison Type. The gang stopped, body tense.

They looked at the bushy area with narrowed eyes. Nidorino grunted suddenly and jumped in front of Cynthia. Two vines hit him and wrapped around him, trying to drag him towards itself.

Snivy jumped from Ash's shoulder and cut the vines with Leaf Blade. The attacker hissed and tried to hide but Snivy wasn't having it. She used Vine Whip and pulled it out.

Slamming it down into the ground, she unleashed her Leaf Storm. The attacker growled in pain as the attack battered it. Snivy was about to carry on when dizziness hit her.

She dropped to the ground, dropping on thirds to prevent from falling. The attacker, a Bulbasaur, roared and unleashed Vine Whip towards her.

"Snivy!" Ash yelled in alarm as his Grass Type was whipped and forced down. Eevee yipped and unleashed a Shadow Ball, striking a clean hit and forcing the Bulbasaur back.

He stumbled and unleashed a flurry of sharp leaves towards her. Eevee, knowing she couldn't dodge lest anyone else be hit, countered with Swift.

The two flurry of projectiles met and exploded, cancelling the other out. Snivy snarled as she got up, eyes sharpening and a green aura forming around her.

A snarl left her lips and she lunged at the Bulbasaur. The Poison/Grass Type smirked and unleashed purple powder directly in her face. Snivy coughed as it entered her system and was unable to dodge the Tackle.

She was sent sliding back but Bulbasaur wasn't done. He used Vine Whip, planning to grab Snivy.

Ash wasn't having it.

He jumped in front of Snivy and blocked the vines with his arms, wincing a bit. Eevee unleashed a Shadow Ball and hit Bulbasaur again, forcing his vines back.

Snivy struggled to get up, the poison and her weakened health forcing her back down. Suddenly, Skylar burst from above and slammed into Bulbasaur with a powerful Aerial Ace.

Bulbasaur cried out in pain as he rolled to a stop. He let out a battle cry, getting back up. Skylar shrieked angrily, preparing another Aerial Ace.

"Stop!" A voice pleaded. Skylar held her attack and hovered in the air, looking at the newcomer with sharp eyes. She was a teenage girl with brown hair done in a pigtail.

She stood in front of Bulbasaur, arms stretched wide to protect him. Nidorino almost lunged at her, his judgment clouded from the attack on Cynthia, but the blonde in question managed to placate him.

Eevee rushed to Snivy's side, nuzzling the Grass Type worriedly. Snivy stared as the scene unfolded with blurry eyes before finally collapsing. Eevee yipped in concern, getting Ash's attention.

"Snivy!" Ash quickly crouched next to her downed form and scooped her in his arms. "Hey, are you okay?" Snivy didn't respond, body shuddering.

"She's poisoned." Cynthia told him worriedly. "The Poison Powder slammed right into her. We need to treat her immediately." She glared at the Bulbasaur behind the girl. "I swear to God, if something happens to her…" Her voice wavered so she stopped and took a deep breathe.

"Cynthia." Ash began in a steady and calm voice. "It's just poisoning, relax." He had already uncapped an Antidote and poured it down Snivy's throat.

The Grass Type swallowed it, eyes tightening as the formula slid through her throat. Ash brought out a Potion and applied it to her bruises.

"Mind telling us why your Bulbasaur attacked us out of nowhere?" Cynthia questioned after calming down a bit.

"I apologize for that." Melanie replied, sounding ashamed. "He's been attacking trainers a lot. He's pretty aggressive."

"And why's that?" Ash asked, tending to the recently woken up Snivy. He offered her a Oran Berry which she took with shaky hands.

"Let me tell you from the beginning." She said. "My name's Melanie, and I and Bulbasaur belong to a small settlement of Pokémon hidden from common eyes. Come with me, I'll show you the village."

"No thanks." Cynthia replied curtly. "Your Bulbasaur gave us enough courtesy to last a lifetime." Bulbasaur growled at that making Nidorino grind his teeth in anger. She placed one hand on Nidorino, stopping him.

"Like I said, I'm sorry." She replied in a small voice.

"Apology accepted." Cynthia retorted. "Now you can leave." Ash glanced at her.

"Cynthia-" Ash began but was interrupted.

"Don't Ash." She spoke back. "I won't go to her village no matter what." She turned back to Melanie with venomous eyes. "Keep your Bulbasaur hidden from me Melanie. Or next time I won't stop Nidorino."

Melanie's eyes hardened at the warning. "Look. I admit what Bulbasaur did was unacceptable but that doesn't mean you have to act like this to us."

"Unacceptable?" Cynthia repeated incredulously. "Whatever." She turned to Nidorino. "Stay on guard. If they try something, you have free reign." She walked over to Ash. "Is she okay?"

"Guys-" Melanie tried but Nidorino growled. Bulbasaur narrowed his eyes and barked a challenge. Nidorino used Focus Energy as a warning, baring his fangs.

Skylar suddenly slammed into Bulbasaur with a full powered Sky Attack. Melanie yelped as her Grass/Poison Type was knocked out cold from the devastating attack.

She flew back and perched herself on Nidorino. That punk won't be attacking someone else anytime soon now! Melanie had half a mind to do something but she knew they were at blame.

So she quietly picked up her Bulbasaur and walked away, leaving them alone. Ash returned Snivy to her pokéball so she could rest and got up. "Let's cover up some distance and then we can rest Kay?" Cynthia wordlessly nodded.

Ash returned Skylar, offering Eevee his shoulder while Cynthia left Nidorino out. The four began their trudging, the previous friendly atmosphere replaced with awkward and uncomfortable silence.

Xxx

The duo settled after a few more battles for a late lunch and let out their Pokémon. Nidorino sat next to Cynthia, appearing to doze off but being on guard and full alert.

Eevee, Fenniken, and Zeus were playing a little bit away while Skylar was perched on a tree branch above them. Oceanus and Buizel were having a staring contest and Snivy was sitting a bit secluded from them.

"Was I a bit harsh back there?" Cynthia spoke up suddenly. Ash looked at the blonde but was unable to see her expression. The blonde had used her hair to create a curtain of sorts between her and Ash.

"Yup." Ash responded bluntly. "I know Bulbasaur attacked you but there was no reason to be so blunt." Ash added. He got up, tossing her a sandwich. "Where's Snivy?"

He saw the Grass Type a bit away, staring off into space. He walked over to his Grass Type and sat beside her, frowning when Snivy didn't even look at him.

"Hey." Ash began. "You okay?" Snivy didn't respond, looking away pointedly. "Look Snivy, how long are you gonna keep this up?" Ash asked. "You yourself saw what happened with you during the fight with Bulbasaur. How long are you gonna punish yourself?"

Snivy did look at him at that. Her brown eyes were filled with disappointment which was quickly replaced with her usual coldness and anger.

Ash and his Pokémon both stared each other, one with anger and the other with determination. "Snivy. Eat your food, okay? Don't ignore it." Ash placed her bowl in front of her.

Snivy looked at him stubbornly, refusing to even touch her food. Ash stayed there for a few moments before getting up. "Eat up girl. You'll need it if that Bulbasaur returns."

Ash walked away leaving Snivy with her food. The Grass Type glared at his retreating form before plopping down. Her anger faded away, leaving only disappointment and sadness behind.

She still remembered how Ash had taken that Vine Whip for her. She may not have mentioned it, but she saw the red mark on Ash's arms. He would definitely feel it later.

Snivy stared at her hands and then her tail. What use she was if she couldn't even defend herself? Surely sooner or later even Ash would dispatch her off. She was useless.

A disappointment. Her tough façade wouldn't work much.

She turned around and placed her head on her tail leaf, curling up. She wasn't in the mood to eat. Too much was on her mind.

"She isn't eating." Cynthia told Ash worriedly. Ash sighed and sat down, covering his face with his hands. "Ash, calm down." She got up and sat next to him.

"What do I do with her?" Ash questioned the blonde. "She isn't willing to eat. That Bulbasaur wasn't even that strong yet Snivy suffered such hits. What if someone stronger gets her?"

"Nothing will happen Ash. Don't worry." Cynthia assured him. "Let's try again."

"She isn't even willing to talk to me, let alone eat." Ash grumbled. "You try. Maybe she'll open up." Ash suggested. Cynthia nodded and got up. Nidorino got up as well but she gestured him to relax.

"I'm just there dear. Don't worry." Nidorino grumbled and settled back down, though his eyes were accurately on Cynthia. The blonde walked over to Snivy, wondering whether Nidorino was still looking at her.

She turned back and found him doing so. Sighing, she reached Snivy and sat down next to her. "Hey Snivy." The blonde began softly. Snivy didn't respond, feigning sleep. But Cynthia knew she was awake from how her eyelids had fluttered.

"I know you're awake." Snivy opened one eye at that. "What's up? Something on your mind?" The Grass Snake got up fully and sat down. Cynthia grabbed a small amount of the food in her hand and offered it to Snivy.

The Grass Type turned her away stubbornly, clearly refusing. "Okay." Cynthia said, putting it back down in the bowl. "If you don't mind me asking, why aren't you eating?"

Snivy shrugged. She didn't feel like eating. "Why did you fight Bulbasaur? He clearly didn't attack you did he?" The Grass Type shrugged again. She didn't know.

Or rather, she didn't want to reply that.

"You know, it was Nidorino's fault Bulbasaur attacked." Snivy looked at Cynthia in surprise. "He had scared one of Bulbasaur's friends with his growling. Bulbasaur saw that as a challenge and attacked him. He wouldn't even have fought you if you hadn't attacked him first."

Snivy nodded after a few moments, processing that. Cynthia grabbed a small amount and offered it to Snivy. The Grass Type looked at Cynthia with a look that said 'Really?'.

"It's obvious you care a lot about us." Cynthia chuckled. "Or else you wouldn't have jumped in the fight." Snivy shook her head vigorously. "You don't?" Cynthia asked in amusement. Snivy nodded. "Then why are you trying so hard to prove it?"

Snivy stopped and stared at Cynthia. "Learned that from Ash." She chuckled. "Eat up Snivy. C'mon now." Cynthia pleaded. Snivy sighed, giving in. She took a small amount and chewed it, feeling the taste and texture.

She swallowed it and smiled. "Nice taste right?" Cynthia questioned as Snivy began to eat directly from the bowl. "Eat up girl. Then come join Ash. He has some exercises for you."

Snivy nodded and Cynthia got up. She approached Ash who was currently supervising Eevee's and Zeus's game of tag. "What should I name Eevee?"

"I don't know." Cynthia responded. "We don't know what Eevee wants to evolve into so I'm at a blank."

"I thought of a neutral name." Ash began. "It's Selena."

"Nah." Cynthia shook her head. "Too… normal. You don't have any special name?"

"I have one." Ash carried on. "Athena, the fictional Greek Goddess of War and Intelligence."

"Aren't you leaning a little too much towards Greek Mythology?" Cynthia asked. "First Zeus, then Oceanus, and now Athena?"

"I noticed it before too." Ash answered. "That's why I wasn't suggesting it first."

"Let's try to think one based on her personality." She reminded. Ash's eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"She's cheerful and happy all the time. But if someone tries to harm someone close to her, her demeanor changes to aggressive and ferocious." Ash spoke up.

"Nice observation." Cynthia praised. "According to that, the name should be…"

"We'll think about it later." Ash eased her, getting up. Snivy had finished her food by then making Ash grin. "How did you make her eat her food?"

"Girl secrets." Cynthia winked. The Grass Snake reached Ash, handing him his bowl.

"Want more?" Ash asked. Snivy shook her head. "I noticed you had problems after activating Overgrow. You get tired too soon. The only way we can increase your endurance is through training and a rich diet. So do eat lots of food all the time."

Snivy shook her head. She didn't want to get fat! "You won't get fat, don't worry." Cynthia assured her. "You can work twice as hard and burn off any fat."

Ash stared at Cynthia. "Girl secrets." She winked again. Ash turned to Snivy. "So, the latter is done for today. Ready for exercise?" Snivy nodded.

The duo began their exercises after that.

Xxx

It turned out Bulbasaur wasn't done with them.

After a few days of normal travelling, battling trainers and training, Ash and Cynthia were searching for strong Pokémon to capture. Their pokedex said a few species were worth looking.

Snivy was on Ash's shoulder, resting contently. Over the few days, she understood that Ash wouldn't harm her out of the blue and that she really was safe. The change wasn't that much, but it was something.

Nidorino had refused to go back into his pokéball, walking besides Cynthia protectively. The blonde pondered how to make him relax. Other than that, Fenniken had finally evolved.

The fight against an opposing trainer's Geodude had done wonders for her. Even without being capable of using Iron Tail, she managed to nail some powerful Bites. Lemme give you the end scene…

"Now use Flame Charge!" Fenniken burst into motion and slammed into the unbalanced Geodude, the Boulder Pokémon jerking backwards from the hit.

"Geodude!" The trainer yelled in concern. "Use Rock Throw now!" His Boulder Pokémon tossed the chunks of earth towards Fenniken who easily dodged them due to her increased speed.

"Finish this with Bite!" Fenniken appeared behind Geodude and bit her teeth into his neck. Geodude let out a shudder of pain, all the previous damage finally knocking him.

Fenniken moved back to Cynthia's side, panting. The trainer returned his Geodude and sent out his final Pokémon, a Cloyster. "He's my Father's! Try beating him!" The trainer boasted.

"Quick Attack Fenniken." Cynthia ordered. Fenniken burst into speed and rammed into the Cloyster pretty fast. "Don't stop! Keep using Quick Attack!"

"Withdraw." The trainer drawled. Cloyster closed his shells, letting Fenniken ram uselessly into him.

"Switch into Flame Charge!" Cynthia ordered. Fenniken did as ordered, dealing small amounts of damage all the while.

"Rapid Spin!" Cloyster began to spin suddenly. Fenniken stuck him again but was bounced back. "Now Water Pulse!" Fenniken squealed in pain as the attack struck her. "Now Clamp!"

"Flame Burst Fenniken! Right into its core!" Cynthia ordered. Fenniken opened her mouth and blasted Cloyster right in its core, making it flinch. Still, he managed to clamp around Fenniken.

"Blizzard!" The trainer ordered victoriously. "End this!" Fenniken squealed as the cold stormy air began to pelt her.

"Flame Charge! Then Hypnosis!" Cynthia ordered. Fenniken brought up flames around herself, eyes locking on to Cloyster's. The shell-whatever was lulled into sleep making Cynthia grin victoriously. "Now pelt him with back to back Ember!"

"Return!" The trainer called back his Cloyster before Fenniken could move on. "But how?! Cloyster is my dad's OG team member!"

"The fault is not with him, it's with his trainer." Cynthia responded. She scratched Fenniken under her chin when it happened.

The Fire Fox was enveloped in bright white light, morphing right before the blonde. When the light died down, a Braixen stood in place of the Fenniken.

Cynthia had hugged her starter in joy.

Back to the present, Nidorino grunted suddenly. Cynthia looked at him confusedly. "Anything wrong?" Snivy tensed up and jumped off Ash's shoulder suddenly.

A pair of vines raced towards them but Snivy was quick to intercept them with her own Vine Whip. The vines tangled and Snivy was quick to pull back.

Nidorino growled and was about to unleash a Poison Sting when Snivy told him to stop. Nidorino roared aggressively but Snivy quickly told him this fight was hers.

"Bulbasaur." Cynthia muttered as the attacker showed himself. Snivy snarled at his sight and boosted up using Swords Dance.

"And he has friends too." Ash commented as a familiar sky blue turtle showed itself. "A Squirtle?" Snivy stood there, unfazed at the sight of the two starters.

Ash called out Zeus to even the odds. The four stared at each other with narrowed eyes, daring the other to make the first move.

"So we finally found you." The duo of trainers looked up and saw Melanie staring at them with a smirk. Cynthia bit her lip at her sight while Nidorino had half a mind to attack her.

"What do you want now?" Ash questioned.

"I just want to show you my hidden village, that's all." She responded.

"Nice ambassadors you have." Cynthia commented. "What else you have to force us to go there? Cause we sure as hell are not going there!" She ended with a snarl.

"Stay calm girly." Melanie snapped. "So Ash, I think," Ash nodded. "Want to visit my Hidden Village?"

"Sorry Melanie." Ash began. "But we don't trust you."

"What happened before was a misunderstanding Ash!" Melanie protested. "Cynthia herself said that Bulbasaur attacked only because your Nidorino provoked it!"

"Not his fault your Pokémon was stalking us!" The blonde argued. "And attacked is one thing. He straight on tried to kill Snivy with Poison Powder!"

"Oh God." Melanie face palmed. "How can Snivy die from Poison Powder? Bulbasaur isn't even that strong!"

"For your information, Snivy here is underweight and has recently broken out of an illegal mill where she was treated like an object! She was already shaky after the Leaf Storm and when she activates Overgrow she gets even more fragile! Combined with that, wouldn't Poison Powder kill her?!"

"…And how the hell is Bulbasaur supposed to know that?!" Melanie argued back.

"Shut up both of you!" Ash roared. The two females stopped arguing. "Phew." Ash rubbed his temples in aggravation. "Melanie's right Cynthia. How was Bulbasaur supposed to know Snivy could possibly die from the Poison Powder?"

They looked at the Kanto Starter who was looking a bit uncomfortable at the fact he had nearly killed Snivy. He uttered an apology to Snivy and stepped back, surprising the Grass Snake.

"Melanie, just answer me one thing." Ash began. "Why do you want us to visit your Hidden Village so desperately?"

"I have a pair of eggs I want to give you two." She answered. "Partly as apology for the inconvenience we gave you, and partly because they don't deserve staying contained in a village all their life."

"Okay then." Ash took a deep breathe. "We'll visit your Hidden Village." Cynthia stared at Ash in surprise. "But if you promise not to pull any tricks against us."

"I promise." Melanie swore. Ash looked at Snivy and Zeus.

"C'mon guys." He offered them his shoulder. Zeus quickly scampered up while Snivy jumped with a Vine Whip boost and landed on his other shoulder. He looked at Cynthia who was dead silent. "C'mon Cynth." He urged.

"I'm not coming." She answered stubbornly. "You go." Ash stared at her in surprise.

"Why?" Ash asked. Cynthia was about to retort when Melanie interrupted.

"It's ok." She responded sadly. "Let's go Bulbasaur and Squirtle." She turned around and began to walk away. Ash stared at Cynthia and silently pleaded but she shook her head.

Soon, Melanie and co. were out of sight. Ash took off his hat and ran his hands through his hair in aggravation. "Happy?" He asked Cynthia. Nidorino growled warningly making Ash shift to him.

"You evolved just yesterday Nidorino." Ash growled back. "But Oceanus evolved ages ago. Remember that." He grabbed his bag and began to walk away.

Cynthia quietly followed him, Nidorino thrashing his teeth in vexation. Snivy was a bit surprised at the anger Ash was showing, especially at Cynthia. Zeus tried to cheer up Ash but he wasn't having it.

The two walked like that, a very hostile air between them. Snivy and Zeus noted that it was the first time Ash was straight out angry with someone.

"It's not my fault." Cynthia said after a little while. Ash didn't respond, not even acknowledging her. "Why are you so mad Ash?" She began. "For another girl." She ended in a quiet voice.

Ash managed to hear that and turned out. "For-" He stopped and took a deep breathe. "Leave it." He turned back and quietly walked.

"Ash?" Cynthia began. "Ash!" She raised her voice. "Ash! Listen to me!" Snivy looked at Ash's face to see pure anger and gulped.

Who thought that Ash could get so angry? With Cynthia of all people?

Still, she couldn't let this barrier stay and cause any more damage. She lightly prodded Ash with her vine. "Yeah?" Snivy gestured a little to Ash. "Don't Snivy." Ash whispered back. The Grass Snake gave him a confused look. "Just leave it." Ash managed, filtering the most of his anger away.

Nidorino had enough and charged Ash with a Tackle. Snivy's eyes widened and she quickly jumped to his defense. Vines coming out, she grabbed Nidorino's hind legs and pulled them from under him.

Nidorino slammed down and growled as a powerful Overgrow and Swords Dance boosted Leaf Blade struck his neck. Snivy snarled back, daring him to attack again. Ash turned around to look at the Poison Type snarling and Snivy looking at him murderously.

He looked at Cynthia to find her looking horrified at her Pokémon's sudden attack. Ash stared at her, lower lip quivering. "What now?" He questioned. "Wouldn't your Pokémon have killed me with his poison? Should I treat you like you treated Melanie?"

He stared at the Poison Type and released Oceanus. The Oceanus understood the gravity of the situation and began to whip up a Twister. "St-stop." Cynthia stuttered. "I'm sorry."

Ash ignored her. "Sorry Cynthia, but he deserves it." Oceanus unleashed his Twister towards the downed Nidorino. Nidorino roared and unleashed a Poison Sting. The Twister easily absorbed them and swallowed Cynthia's first capture.

Nidorino growled in pain and was suddenly pelted from a Water Pulse. Oceanus used his control over the Twister and raised the Poison Type high in the air.

"Higher, higher." Ash told his Water Type. "Now drop him." Oceanus dissipated his Twister suddenly, letting Nidorino drop from a high height.

Cynthia didn't stop Ash or Oceanus. She stared at the ground with disappointment, realizing just what kind of horrible person she was. She was a hypocrite!

Nidorino slammed on the ground hard, dizzy and hurt pretty bad. Oceanus unleashed a Water Pulse that struck him again. Cynthia finally decided to return her first capture and placed the pokéball at her waist.

"Nice job." Ash returned his Water Type and sighed. "What can you say now Cynthia?" He asked.

The blonde dropped to her knees suddenly, her blonde hair hiding her face again. Ash knew that was a sign she was horribly ashamed of herself.

"It's not your fault." Ash exhaled a few times to calm himself down. "All of this mess is due to your Nidorino."

"I know." Cynthia mumbled. "Believe me or not, I'm sorry." She tried.

"I'm not the person you should apologize to." Ash replied with a leveled voice. "Snivy, you talked to Bulbasaur, right?" Ash asked his Grass Type. "Do you have the Hidden Village's address?"

Snivy nodded. "I'm going to the Hidden Village. See you later Cynthia." Ash gestured Snivy to lead the way and began to walk away. He noted Cynthia wasn't following him even when he had walked a little away.

' _Someone needs to do this.'_ He reminded himself. _'If she's that stubborn, I'm no better.'_

All the while Snivy wondered what would happen now.

Xxx

"That was a horrible decision." Ash face palmed after a while. "I left Cynthia alone on the route, decided to clean up the mess with Melanie, and now am alone with no idea where Cynthia is."

Snivy sighed. Way to go! They broke up after an argument and now Ash was already thinking of patching up!

Neat.

"Zeus, Snivy. Never make decisions in anger." He told the two. "It bites you, hard." Ash plopped down, having sent Skylar to search for Cynthia before.

Snivy jumped from his shoulder, landing down and making herself comfortable. Zeus joined her, trying to converse with her but Snivy not so politely declined.

"Thanks for saving me back then Snivy." Ash said. "Otherwise, I would've been with Mew by now." Snivy curtly nodded. After a little rest and time pass, Ash finally saw Skylar return with Cynthia in tow.

"Hi." He waved, smiling when he saw Cynthia's expression. Her eyes were red, cheeks were puffy, and she held remorse. "Wanna go now?"

Cynthia nodded. Ash got up, stretching. "It isn't that far from now. C'mon."

After two minutes of walking, they reached their destination, the Hidden Village. It was hidden pretty well with shrubbery and trees. Snivy gestured to the village.

It wasn't much, they noted. A simple cabin, most probably of Melanie, was built at one side. Another bigger one with a red plus was at its left. Adjacent to the cabins, wild Pokémon ranging from common Rattata to rare ones like Squirtle and Bulbasaur were playing etc.

Bulbasaur approached them, growling at the sight of Cynthia. Snivy outstretched a vine making him stop. "Where's Melanie?" Ash asked.

"Here." They turned and found the brunette approaching them, a smile on her face. "So you finally decided to come here." She grinned.

"Yeah. Couldn't resist your charm." Ash joked. Melanie giggled at that. She turned to Cynthia.

"Sorry for the fight before." She apologized. "I hope you forgive me." Cynthia's expression remained stony but she managed a nod.

"So, what does you village have to offer Melanie?" Ash questioned.

"Not much I'm afraid." She answered. "I built this as a sanction for abandoned Pokémon. Bulbasaur decided to join me in my goal as a caretaker. He spies on travelling trainers and if he sees a mistreated Pokémon, he attacks and if they join him, brings them here."

"I don't think any of our Pokémon are mistreated." Cynthia mumbled.

"Well," Melanie began. "Snivy does look thinner than regular Pokémon. But that's due to her past."

"She still doesn't trust anyone." Ash commented. Snivy shrugged and walked off with Bulbasaur, surprising Ash. "Except a few exceptions, I guess." He added after a few moments.

"That was one hell of a misunderstanding." Melanie added. "To sum it up, it was everyone's fault. If Nidorino wouldn't have provoked Bulbasaur, he wouldn't have attacked, just spied to see if Snivy was being treated correctly. If he hadn't attacked Nidorino, Snivy wouldn't have jumped in and get harmed."

"And we wouldn't have fought." Ash added.

"Yeah. That too." Melanie had the grace to be embarrassed. "Cynthia, do you want to come with me? I can make up for the inconvenience I caused you."

"Sure." She responded after a moment. The duo turned to Ash.

"What about you? You coming?" Melanie questioned. Ash nodded.

"Can I release my Pokémon first though? They would like to relax with new Pokémon." Ash asked. Melanie gestured an affirmative.

"I don't see any reason not to anyway." Ash and Cynthia released all of their Pokémon, except Nidorino, that is.

"Guys, we're at Melanie's village." Ash explained seeing their confused looks. "Relax and enjoy yourself. Don't fight with anyone. Okay?" They nodded and all spread around.

"Let's go now." Cynthia spoke up. Melanie nodded and the trio walked away, deciding to put any past arguments behind them.

None of them noticed the gleaming eyes spying on them.

Xxx

"This is the hidden village eh?" A voice began. "And those are its protectors?" He questioned seeing Bulbasaur, Melanie, Ash and Cynthia. "Let's see how strong they are for ourselves."

He retreated back, preparing himself.

Xxx

 **Cliffhanger! The ending was struggling with me so I decided to write it this way. The beginning flowed out of me like water through a river but the ending just didn't want to work with me!**

 **Suggest nicknames for Eevee! I'm at a loss to what to name her due to not wanting to expose her future Evolution. Suggest names in the reviews, and give your reasoning on why it should be that. The winner will get a shout out!**

 **And do you think I did Nidorino justice? I did think he was really underdeveloped as a character and wanted to begin on his character. It's inspired from Traveler's Nidoking if someone's wondering. I can't help it! The Straight Elf is such a master writer!**

 **R &R guys! Whenever I upload a chapter, I wait impatiently for your reviews. I don't think you know how much importance reviews hold for writers, just like subscribers and comments for YouTubers. Please, review. I don't mind if its constructive criticism, praise, something you don't like etc. Just don't flame me for no apparent reason. You can if you have a valid reason but don't hate for seemingly no reason. Kay?**

 **List of Pokémon:**

 **Eevee: Quick Attack, Sand Attack, Shadow Ball. Dig. Iron Tail. Double Team, Swift, Bite. (Detect)**

 **Zeus: Thunder Bolt, Nasty Plot, Thunder Wave, Iron Tail, Dig, Double Team, Feint, Nuzzle, Charge. (Volt Tackle)**

 **Skylar: Tackle, Quick Attack, Gust, Sand Attack, Aerial Ace, Steel Wing, and Double Team. (Sky Attack)**

 **Oceanus: Water Gun, Water Pulse, Tackle, Smokescreen, Agility, Bubble Beam, Whirlpool, Twister.**

 **Snivy: Vine Whip, Leer, Leaf Storm, Slam, Swords Dance, and Leaf Blade. (Grassy Terrain)**

 **Cynthia Pokémon:**

 **Braixen: Scratch, Hypnosis, Ember, Flame Burst, Quick Attack, Flame Charge, Howl, Bite. (Heat Wave).**

 **Nidorino:** **Tackle, Poison Sting, Confusion, Double Kick, Fury Attack, Peck, Focus Energy.**

 **Roselia: Mega Drain, Growth, Poison Sting, Magical Leaf, Leech Seed, Synthesis, Energy Ball.**

 **Buizel: Water Gun, Sonic Boom, Ice Punch, Ice Beam, Vacuum Wave, Aqua Jet, Ice Fang.**


	9. The Hidden Village

**TheFlamingGlaven: All will be revealed in due time.**

 **Guest: I didn't understand bro.**

 **UltimateCC: Nice suggestions! We'll see later on!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.**

Xxx

 **The Hidden Village!**

"Here, we heal up Pokémon." Melanie informed the duo behind them, comprising of Ash and Cynthia. "Cerulean City is a bit far from here so I make healings from herbs gathered by Bulbasaur. They're useful and do the job, albeit more slower."

"That's actually impressive." Cynthia commented. "Can you show me the recipe? I'll love to learn it."

"Sure! I have a few for antidotes and other stuff as well." Melanie answered. "You want to learn them too?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Cynthia asked. "They'll help out pretty well on our journey."

"Hey Melanie," Ash began. "Can you heal up Nidorino? My Oceanus roughed him up a bit before."

"As long as he doesn't attack me, I'll be happy to help." Melanie responded.

"He won't if Cynthia says so." Ash turned to the blonde. "Right?" He pressed. The blonde bit her lower lip at the question.

"I'm not sure." She said after a moment. "He did attack you before." The blonde pointed out.

"He did!?" Melanie questioned in alarm. Ash nodded.

"He tried to. But Snivy saved me." Ash eased her. "Otherwise, I would've been with Mew at the moment."

"I don't know why he did that." Cynthia sighed. "That's why I didn't release him as of yet."

"That's an answer we can only speculate about." Melanie told her. "Why don't you ask him instead? Maybe he was feeling put out by how you were preventing him from fighting Bulbasaur?"

"Maybe." Cynthia said a thoughtful look in her eyes. "I do know that we haven't spent that much time together with him. And then the dilemma today."

"Let's heal him up first and then ask him directly." Ash told the blonde. "He may have attacked me due to the way I was treating you. He's pretty loyal and protective."

"C'mon guys." Melanie interrupted. "We'll ask him directly." The trio ended their conversation and entered the infirmary.

 _Meanwhile…_

Snivy gazed at the Pokémon impassively from her position on a tree branch. Her brown eyes lingered on a Sandshrew with two whip scars on his back and a phantom pain erupted on her neck.

She closed her eyes, breathing deeply, and relaxed. She saw something in these Pokémon she didn't see that often.

Brotherhood.

They were all abused like her by selfish humans for their own gain. They all saw something roughly what she saw. They all felt what she felt.

They all…

They all felt betrayed.

Snivy remembered the first time she was betrayed. Her hands clenched into fists at the reminder of that Skitty, Celina, she remembered. That feline was one cunning creature indeed.

And that feline wouldn't know what hit her the day they met again.

A yip from below got her attention. She gazed down and found Eevee yipping at her, asking her to come down. Snivy jumped down, landing elegantly.

Eevee gestured to Bulbasaur who gestured her over. Snivy walked over to him, giving him a curious look. Bulbasaur grunted, telling her to join her in scouting.

Snivy shrugged and decided to follow him, finding nothing better to do. Eevee excused herself, walking off to play with the Pokémon. Bulbasaur decided to engage Snivy in idle chit chat.

He questioned about where she came from to which Snivy replied she didn't know where she was exactly too. The only place she knew since birth was the Pokémon Mill and dare would she call that hell her origin place!

Snivy, in return, asked Bulbasaur where he came from. Bulbasaur told her about a trainer who had abandoned him because he lost against a Pidgeotto. Snivy gave him an incredulous look at that to which Bulbasaur responded his trainer was a rookie.

Snivy replied with saying that most trainers were idiots anyway to which Bulbasaur replied by saying hers wasn't. Snivy paused at that for a moment before retorting that Ash wasn't her trainer for one and he wasn't that intelligent either.

Bulbasaur rolled his eyes at that, replying that if Ash wasn't her trainer, then why did she jump to his defense? Snivy shrugged, retorting with 'her wish'.

While the two Grass Types engaged in such banter, we move to the others.

Skylar soared high in the air, enjoying the height and the feeling of freeness. She gazed down with sharp eyes, enjoying just how high she was.

The Pidgeotto loved this! Being free, able to stretch her wings, feel like the queen of the sky, unbeatable in her own domain. Every Pidgey was born with a desire to rule the skies with a flock of their own.

Skylar remembered what her parents expected from her and her siblings. Being a female and not as bulky as her brothers, she was mostly overlooked by their parents as a potential Pidgeot.

That didn't mean they didn't love her. No, far from it! But it hurt when her brothers were favored over her when it came to fights and teaching. That ignorance, in turn, tightened her will and made it hard as steel.

That's why Skylar would never back down to any foe! Whether it be a horde of Beedrill, a large Onix, or a raging Gyarados, she wouldn't quit. She would fight to her last breathe!

Skylar closed her eyes, dreaming of being a Pidgeot and flying at Mach 3 with Ash on her back. Dreaming of ruling the eyes, controlling the air and sky at her whim, being strong enough to whip up a tornado and tear apart her adversaries.

Hell, she would go as far as fighting against the Legendary Birds Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno as a mighty, proud Pidgeot. The thought left her giddy enough that she decided to ramp up her speed and test her limits.

Oceanus relaxed with the Water Types in the village, a stark contrast the limitless battles fought over the past few days. In front of him were Pokémon ranging from Magikarp to Goldeen to Psyduck. They were all going about their daily life, not minding the powerful future Dragon in front of them.

Oceanus heard someone call him out and turned his head. He found Squirtle looking at him. He neighed what he wanted to which Squirtle pointed towards the trio of humans.

Oceanus snorted in confusion at that. Squirtle told him that he wanted to know more about them. Oceanus asked which one to which Squirtle replied that the one with blonde hair. Oceanus shrugged, pointing at Braixen's direction. She was her trainer, so she'll know more about Cynthia than him.

Squirtle nodded and walked over to the recently evolved Fire Starter. Braixen stopped playing with her stick and looked at the turtle. Squirtle smirked cockily and gave her an arrogant greeting.

Braixen, a bit unnerved, responded as casually as she could. Squirtle withdrew into his shell and popped out second later wearing black glasses over his eyes.

Braixen gave him a confused look to which Squirtle bragged he looked more appealing with them and asked whether she approved. Braixen was feeling pretty awkward with the turtle's bragging by now.

A grunt, thankfully, saved her from the awkward moment. The two turned around to see Buizel approaching the duo. Squirtle looked at him, trying to act cool, while Braixen shot him a grateful look.

Buizel stepped between the two, crossing his arms and gave the smaller turtle a cold stare. The Sea Weasel questioned what he wanted to which Squirtle responded that he wanted to know Braixen better.

Buizel simply asked 'why' making Squirtle raise his eyebrow (if he had them). The Squirtle arrogantly responded with 'his wish' and why Buizel was feeling jealous.

Buizel shot him an incredulous look at that. He chuckled a moment later, patting Squirtle on his head pityingly. He looked at Braixen and then back to the turtle.

Buizel commented that why would he feel jealous of the turtle's rather pathetic attempt at flirting with his teammate and that Squirtle should be more masculine to make anyone like him, let alone Braixen.

Squirtle responded with a diss, saying that he should get someone for himself first and then go around spreading wisdom to others. The two locked stares, hands clenched.

Braixen looked at the two with growing fear and decided to intervene. She pulled both of them back, scolding them for acting like children over such a small matter.

Buizel scoffed and walked off, mouthing Squirtle good luck tauntingly. Braixen sighed in relief, thanking Xerneas. She saw Squirtle trying his best to regain his cool and asked what he wanted directly.

Squirtle gestured to her trainer and asked whether she would tell him more about her. Braixen shrugged and asked what exactly he wanted to know.

As the two began to talk, we shall move to the others.

Roselia relaxed in the grass of the Hidden Village. She loved peace and greenery! Being a Grass Type, she felt more at home in grass than anywhere else.

The Grass Type didn't get what the others accomplished by fighting at all. Sure, they fought to get stronger and for fun but sometimes, these fights involved more than just that.

Sometimes, the fight felt personal. That the foe wanted way more than to just knock them out. Roselia didn't like it. She hadn't met anyone like that, true, but the tales she had heard from other more or less affirmed that point.

Eevee had told her about the Beedrill horde in Viridian Forest and how they were close to a painful future had May not intervened there. Skylar had also filled them in on the incident of Mt. Moon involving Proton.

Roselia was more of a pacifist. She would rather solve arguments and disputes with words than straight out fighting. God forbid if someone got hurt by that!

Roselia opened her eyes, having heard Eevee approaching her. She saw the Evolution Pokémon settling down next to her, sweaty due to the intense tag she, Zeus, and a couple of other Pokémon were playing.

Roselia asked her how her day went. Eevee replied enthusiastically. She loved the peaceful atmosphere of the Hidden village. It was a much wanted change from the regular fights of Route 9.

From all the Pokémon Ash and Cynthia had, the most peaceful of them was Roselia. Being with her was very relaxing and whenever Eevee wanted peace, she walked over to Roselia. The Grass/Poison just had that air around her that radiated peace.

That was just what she needed right now. Peace.

Unfortunately, that wasn't about to last much longer…

Xxx

"Nidorino." Cynthia began as her Poison Type came out. She crouched in front of him, placing a hand on his forehead. Nidorino dipped his head in acknowledgement though he kept an eye on Melanie and Ash. "How are you?"

Nidorino grunted in reply, and then winced as the injuries made themselves known. Cynthia traced her slim index finger over them delicately, getting a feel.

"Why did you attack Ash?" The blonde asked. Nidorino made a grumbling sound but didn't move otherwise. "Nidorino," Cynthia grabbed the bottom of his face and made him look into her eyes.

Nidorino grumbled softly seeing the concern in her silver eyes. Truth be told, he himself didn't know why he exactly attacked Ash either. The human presented no threat to him or Cynthia.

He remembered feeling angry at him for treating his mistress like that and wanted nothing more than make him pay. His muscles tensed at the thought.

Cynthia did notice, however, and softly tapped him to remind she was there. Nidorino calmed down, bringing himself back on even grounds, and growled.

"You were feeling neglected. Am I right?" Cynthia asked. Nidorino knew it was more of a statement than a question but nodded regardless. "I'm sorry Nidorino." Nidorino grumbled in protest. "I'm sorry for neglecting you Nidorino. I shouldn't have done that."

"I was playing way more attention to Fenniken due to her Psychic abilities and Roselia due to the Gym Battles." Cynthia carried on. "I wasn't fair to anyone of you. I was concentrating on Fenniken's future rather than her present. I was treating Roselia like a source of victory rather than a part of my team. And you,"

"I ignored you. You served no part in the coming battles or anything due to your limited potential so I was subconsciously ignoring you." Cynthia exhaled. "I'm a pretty bad trainer eh?" She closed her eyes for a moment, gathering herself.

Nidorino wanted to protest. He wanted to tell that Cynthia was the best mistress there could be. That she was the most skilled out of everyone. But a part in him knew it was true. As much as he hated it, it was the truth.

And boy did it taste bitter.

"All these years of studying, trying to prepare myself for the upcoming journey, I forgot the most important one." She opened her eyes and Nidorino saw disappointment. Not on him or anyone else, disappointment in herself. "Companionship. I should've-"

Any further talk was interrupted as Bulbasaur came running into the infirmary. The trio of humans quickly focused on him. The Poison/Grass type gestured outside hurriedly.

The trio rushed outside to find utter chaos. A man in camouflage clothing was approaching them with confident strides, a blue Pokémon with black hair besides him. Above them flying was a Fearow, screeching at the Pokémon and scaring them away.

"Where did he come from?!" Melanie questioned in alarm. Ash clenched his fist, looking around for his Pokémon. Thankfully, Skylar had already engaged the Fearow in an aerial battle.

"You!" The man boomed, pointing a thick finger to the brunette. "So called _protector_ of this village!" Nidorino growled warningly at him.

"What do you want?!" Melanie shot back. The man spread his hands and three Pokémon burst from the ground. One was a steel quadruple, one was a Marowak, and the last one was someone Ash had seen in a televised fight.

"A Sableye?" He whispered. Cynthia had already identified the other using her pokedex.

"That's a Lairon. Rock/Steel Type. Bulky, that steel dome is pretty hard to dent. Evolved form of Aron." Cynthia gave Ash the summarized version.

Ash heard a brutal cry of pain and looked up. He saw Skylar suffering a powerful Steel Wing, one that sent her crashing near Ash. "Skylar!" Ash hollered in alarm. The avian tried to get up, but fell back down. Ash returned her back quickly, fixing the Fearow with a glare.

"Where are the others?" Cynthia questioned Melanie. She had already seen Bulbasaur run off to hide the Pokémon away but she didn't know about their team.

A yip answered her. Eevee and Zeus came in front of her like a brown and yellow blur while Oceanus trumpeted his arrival. Braixen and Buizel joined them quickly as well.

"Nice team you've got there." The man chuckled. A steady, calculating eye ran over them. "Luxray, Thunder Flash!" The black blue Pokémon howled and a sudden bright flash blinded all of them.

All Ash heard were pained grunts from his Pokémon while he tried to regain his vision. When he did get his sight back, he wished he hadn't.

Lying in front of them was their teams. Eevee and Zeus were smashed into the walls of the infirmary behind them, face clenched in utter pain, Oceanus and Buizel were shocked into unconsciousness while Braixen was barely standing.

"What…" Ash whispered. Cynthia looked at Braixen and her blood ran cold.

"No way…" A ghostly laugh answered her as Sableye floated off Braixen. The fox gave a silent scream before falling down with a soft thud.

"Anything else heroes?" The man questioned the duo of trainers with a cocky look. Ash and Cynthia quickly returned their Pokémon, eyeing the man warily.

"Nidorino." Cynthia whispered.

"Look behind you." Cynthia turned back and found her Poison Type on the floor unconscious.

"H-how?" Cynthia stammered. The man pointed a thumb at Lairon who had emerged beside him just recently.

"Cynthia…" Ash whispered. The blonde looked at him and her eyes widened. Ash's muscles had seized, his face was morphed into horror, and a dark tint was into his eyes.

The blonde caught him just before he fell down, glaring at the Sableye who laughed evilly. Cynthia settled Ash down, checking for his pulse. She froze when two spectral hands wrapped around her neck.

"Stop!" Melanie yelled. The Sableye didn't listen, dragging Cynthia right to the man's feet. He gave the blonde a pitying look as she struggled to get up.

"Luxray." He simply spoke. Cynthia screamed as electricity ran through her body. She fell down, unconscious, clothes charred, and completely defeated. The last thing she saw was the man laughing with amusement.

Xxx

"Cynthia? Cynthia wake up." The blonde felt someone shake her lightly. She felt cold water hit her face making her stir. After a couple of moments, Cynthia woke up. She stared at a blurry figure, blinking her eyes to get rid of her drowsiness.

"Where are we?" Cynthia mumbled getting into a sitting position. She smelt ozone from around her and looked around.

"We need to get out of here Cynthia." The figure told her. Cynthia managed to focus on him and found it to be Ash.

"Ash! Are you okay?" The blonde questioned. Ash nodded, assuring her. "What happened?" The blonde said blearily, looking around. She noted the hidden village was completely vacant, not a single soul around.

"Snivy and Roselia are with Bulbasaur and the other Pokémon." Ash told her. "We need to go get them." He got up, pulling Cynthia up with him. The blonde stumbled as soon as she got up.

"Easy." Ash reminded. Cynthia nodded, giving herself a look over. She looked in pretty bad shape, the blonde mused. The blonde looked at Ash and took in his appearance.

Physically, he looked fine. Other than his clothes being a bit ruffled, that is. However, Cynthia knew him well enough to recognize his tiredness.

"Ash-" She began.

"I'm fine." He replied, though he didn't sound like it. The bags under his eyes were enough proof. "Finding the others is more important right now."

The blonde nodded. They both needed rest after this.

Xxx

 _Meanwhile…_

Bulbasaur and Snivy scouted the outer perimeters of their hideout. The latter was frustrated when she learned about the attack. Can't the humans just leave them alone for once?!

Her first thought was to go attack the opponents herself but she stopped herself from acting rash. The enemy had way stronger Pokémon than them at the moment.

Bulbasaur tried to indulge the Grass Snake in small talk but it was clear she was too frustrated to properly respond. He also noted the faint green glow around her. It was almost a bit scary.

Snivy didn't look like much. He had defeated her before and probably could do so now but…

Seeing that glow and that look on her, he wasn't that sure suddenly.

There was a faint rustle to their right. Snivy's eyes shot to that location and she readied a Leaf Blade. Bulbasaur crouched, easily camouflaging himself in the grass.

"Where are those darn pokémon woman!?" Bulbasaur's eyes widened as he saw Melanie being forcibly dragged to their location. She didn't seem hurt but her cheeks were stained with tears.

Snivy deactivated her Overgrow ability, feeling her heightened senses return back to normal. Her mind raced as she thought of a way to free Melanie from them.

Why she deactivated her Overgrow? Because she was beginning to feel the strain of said ability. When scouting, she needed every bit of her senses available but now-

Snivy's eyes shot open as a bone hit her. She was thrown out of her hidden position. The Grass Snake quickly used Vine Whip and hit the bone club out of its orbit.

She snarled at the Marowak who had spotted her and readied herself. Overgrow activated, eyes narrowed dangerously, Leaf Blade ready, she stared down the Ground Type.

The Grass Snake managed to gesture Bulbasaur to remain hidden and wait. "Look what we have here." The man chuckled. "Marowak, get her."

The Ground Type rushed forward, two orbits of sharp stone around her. Snivy burst forward as well, quickly moving between the stones and throwing her Leaf Blade against his fist.

The Grass Type attack won, hitting the Marowak's skull and throwing him back. Snivy quickly used Vine Whip, hitting him and jumping in the air.

Letting out a battle cry, she unleashed a ferocious Leaf Storm towards the man. His Lairon roared and a Protect blocked the attack with ease. Snivy quickly used Swords Dance and spun using Vine Whip, managing to redirect another Stone Edge away from her.

"Oh." The man said impressed by the technique Snivy was showing. His Marowak got back up, growling at the Grass Snake. Snivy panted a bit, tired from the constant use of Overgrow. "Luxray, you're up. Marowak, back."

Her enemies switched quickly. Snivy stared at the Electric Feline in front of her and a sudden memory struck her. Another Luxray resembling him…

 _Don't hurt me…_

 _Thunderbolt Luxray._

 _Ah!_

Snivy blinked. She felt a never dying rage build up within her as she snarled. Luxray yawned, unimpressed. The Grass Snake took the initiative, firing off a Leaf Storm and following it with Swords Dance.

"Thunderbolt Luxray." Luxray howled and fired off the blinding arc of lightning. It met the Leaf Storm and cleaved through. Snivy widened her eyes and jumped to the side, barely dodging the devastating attack.

"Give it up already! You cannot defeat my Luxray." The man boomed. Snivy frantically thought of a way to turn this around. He was too strong for her to beat through raw power.

Luxray charged her with Wild Charge. Snivy snapped into focus and jumped away with Vine Whip, letting him pass under her. Luxray turned around and fired off a Swift attack that she barely blocked with Leaf Blade.

Luxray lurched towards her as she was about to land, fangs filled with hot fire. Snivy threw her tail into his mouth, using Leaf Blade to sharpen it.

Luxray bit down, breaking through her weak defense and biting down on her tail. He slammed the Grass Snake down, pinning her down with his paws, growling.

Snivy stared at him with alarm, thinking of a way around. She saw Bulbasaur looking at her with a concerned look and managed to gesture him.

"End-" The man was interrupted as Bulbasaur suddenly tackled him off Snivy. He followed up with Poison Powder, poisoning the Electric feline. Snivy used her Vine Whip and wrapped it around his belly, jumping up.

"Eh?" The man said, beyond impressed as the lithe Grass Snake lifted Luxray up with her Vine Whip and _twisted._ She pivoted him in the air and slammed him down hard on his back.

Bulbasaur unleashed an Energy Ball, blasting Luxray while Snivy slammed down on his neck with a Slam. Luxray gasped, looking at the enraged Grass Snake with wide eyes.

Snivy smirked, sharpening her blade and _cutting_ into his neck. "Thunderbolt!" The man yelled. Luxray managed and unleashed a shocking charge. Snivy jumped back and darted back in to strike.

Luxray rolled out of her attack and lunged, slamming into her with Wild Charge, and following with Swift. Snivy gasped in pain, rolling to a stop and using her Leaf Blade to stop her speed.

Luxray charged Bulbasaur, engaging him in a ferocious battle, while Snivy breathed deeply. She stared at Melanie who stared back. The human gave her a pleading look.

' _Don't worry. I'm here for you.'_ Snivy blinked. _'You are very strong Snivy.'_ She got an idea. It had a very low chance of passing but it was her best shot. Snivy concentrated, reaching within her.

Bulbasaur yelped in pain as Luxray bit into him with Fire Fang, charging electricity. Snivy opened her eyes, determination evident, and gave a battle cry.

Grassy energy spread through the ground, filling herself and Bulbasaur with vigor. Bulbasaur roared and pushed Luxray off him, blasting the canine off with a boosted Energy Ball.

"A Grassy Terrain?!" Snivy stared the man with uncontrolled anger, and lunged at the canine.

No one could save them from her now.

No. One.

Xxx

Ash stopped running, feeling a strange power emanating from a point. He looked at Cynthia who was feeling the same. "You feel that?" She nodded.

The two ran towards the point, feeling it getting stronger. "Doesn't Snivy have Grassy Terrain as her Egg Move?" The blonde asked.

"Yeah." The two reached the place and found themselves looking at a fierce brawl between Snivy and Bulbasaur against Luxray. Ash stared in awe as Snivy fought bravely, Overgrow active and attention completely on the Luxray.

"Down!" Cynthia whispered, pulling Ash down. She gestured to the man who was watching the battle with awe. "He has Melanie. We need to free her." Ash nodded. "I have a plan."

Cynthia lifted a rock up, gesturing to the back of the man's head. "You mean…"

Snivy slammed into Luxray with another powerful Leaf Blade, cutting through his Thunderbolt. Bulbasaur fired off an Energy Ball from the side, hitting him again.

"Luxray! Thunder Flash!" Luxray snapped and a blinding light filled the place. Snivy clenched her eyes closed, struggling to regain her senses, when Luxray slammed into her and unleashed a point-blank Thunder.

Snivy screamed in pain, trying to hit him off wildly, but Luxray bit down on her with Fire Fang. Bulbasaur blindly fired off an Energy Ball, missing Luxray completely.

"Another!" The man snarled. "Let her-" He gasped as Cynthia's perfectly aimed throw hit the back of his head. Ash ran forward and tackled him down, freeing Melanie from his grasp.

He gasped as his Marowak tackled him back. Ash stumbled, regaining his footing, and locked hands with the Marowak. The Pokémon easily overpowered him, pushing him back.

"I… won't…back…down." Ash grunted, keeping him locked. His Fearow shrieked and lunged at Ash. Snivy saw the bird approaching Ash with wide eyes and let out a warning.

Ash looked up and found Fearow almost on him. Almost on instinct, he pulled Marowak on himself and kicked him into the bird. The two Pokémon collided and Marowak grunted as Fearow's powerful Steel Wing hit his back.

Ash got up quickly, trying to attack the man when his Lairon slammed into him with a powerful Iron Head. Ash gasped as he was thrown away, hitting a tree and slumping down.

Luxray jumped off the limp Snivy, approaching Bulbasaur who had regained his senses. The Grass/Poison Starter felt his energy drain as the Grassy Terrain vanished and watched him warily. The man began to get up, rubbing where the rock had hit him and turned towards Cynthia.

"Why you…" He growled, approaching her with clenched hands. Cynthia looked as the larger figure with fear, trying to figure out a way. She stepped back instinctively, looking at him. "I don't normally hit females but I'll make an exception today."

He raised his fist to hit her. Cynthia closed her eyes in fear, waiting for it to hit her.

The moment never came.

She opened her eyes and found the man wrapped in draining green tendrils. The blonde looked around and found her Roselia using Mega Drain on him.

Marowak and Lairon lunged at her. Roselia jumped out of the way, cancelling her Mega Drain and firing off a Leech Seed on the man. It wrapped around him, making him fall down clumsily.

Cynthia saw his Luxray attack Bulbasaur brutally, dealing heavy damage repeatedly. Bulbasaur was doing his best to fight back but it was evident he wasn't strong enough.

Cynthia suddenly felt two spectral hands grab around her waist. Her eyes widened and she struggled against the Sableye behind her. Sableye grinned, beginning to drain Cynthia.

' _How can he do that?'_ Cynthia wondered as she struggled against him. _'Sableye cannot drain anyone as far as I know!'_ She saw Roselia get overpowered from the Marowak and Lairon and grimaced. Things were looking pretty bad.

Suddenly, a Water Gun hit them and pushed them away from the Bouquet Pokémon. Melanie's Squirtle stood there, firing off Water Type Attacks to push them back.

Cynthia winced as Sableye's hands wrapped around her throat. She clenched the wispy hand and tried to pull it off her. Sableye hissed and choked her tighter.

Cynthia shuddered as the last of her power left her. She collapsed in Sableye's grasp, going completely limp. Sableye grinned and threw her to the side, sinking into the shadows.

Luxray was about to deal the final blow to Bulbasaur when the poisoning kicked in. He shuddered and Bulbasaur saw an opening. Firing off an Energy Ball, Bulbasaur followed it up with Razor Leaf and Vine Whips.

Luxray was unable to dodge the projectiles, growling at the damage, and the Vine Whips forced him down. Bulbasaur panted, wanting nothing more than to rest. Luxray got up, gathering up charge.

Bulbasaur saw Squirtle a little close to them and tried to gesture him over. Squirtle, unfortunately, was too busy fighting Lairon and Marowak to see it.

Luxray roared and fired off another Thunderbolt, this one with all of his power. Bulbasaur pulled one last trick off his sleeve and used Protect. The green barrier blocked the Thunderbolt, barely. Luxray growled in frustration before falling down, out cold. Bulbasaur collapsed as well, eyes closing.

"Bitch." The man growled, freed from his Leech Seed courtesy of his Fearow. He approached the unconscious Cynthia, grabbing her by her collar and lifting her up. "I'll deal with you later." He gestured Fearow to finish the two remaining Pokémon.

Fearow screeched and slammed into Roselia with a powerful Aerial Ace, throwing her into a tree and knocking her down cold. Squirtle looked at the new arrival with surprise and was unable to dodge Marowak's and Lairon's combined attack.

The man grinned when he saw the Pokémon littered around the clearing, all out cold. "A valiant effort, but useless." He commented, then saw Luxray. "Huh. That Bulbasaur was one tough bastard I guess." He then saw the limp blonde in his grasp.

Throwing her down, he stepped down on her right hand and pressed down. "Sableye, wake her up." Sableye grinned and dove near Cynthia. Sinking his spectral hands into her chest, he pulled.

Cynthia's eyes shot open and she wheezed to breathe. The man raised his foot and then stomped down. "Ah!" Cynthia screamed in pain.

"This was the hand with which you hit me. Right?" The man asked sinisterly, kneeling besides her and grabbing it. Cynthia looked at him with fear, quivering. "What happened? Who got your tongue?" He asked, grabbing her index finger.

"Don't. Please don't." Cynthia whispered, weeping. The man grinned and grabbed her by her cheeks tightly.

"Michael only leaves someone alive once." The man, now identified as Michael, informed her. "And you wasted your chance. You, and your friend Ash." He craned her neck towards him. "Sableye." The Ghost Type floated near him obediently.

They, fortunately, were saved.

"You sadistic bastard!" Michael turned and found Officer Jenny standing there, an entire group of officers behind her. "We finally got you!" Cynthia sighed in relief but stopped when she saw Michael press his foot on her neck.

"One wrong move and she dies." Michael grinned. The officers all stopped, watching tensely. "Now-" Michael growled in pain as something slammed into the back of his head.

He stumbled off Cynthia, staggering forward, and two Vine Whips wrapped around his feet, tripping him down. His Pokémon all stared at the attacker who smirked slyly.

"Snivy?" Cynthia rasped. They didn't have much time to attack since the officers all quickly pressed their advantage and attacked. Cynthia clenched her right hand tightly, tears streaking down her eyes as she moaned in pain.

Snivy approached her, collapsing near her. Cynthia looked the Grass Snake over with blurry eyes. The vicious battle with Luxray was pretty much evident on her.

"You're so strong." Cynthia whispered. "And so brave." Cynthia reached out for her with shaking hands. Snivy, for once, didn't resist and let her touch her.

Cynthia collapsed then, eyes closing. A thin stream of blood escaped her lips as her head lolled to the side. Snivy touched her cheek with concern, trying to shake her awake.

"You bitch!" Michael roared as his hands got cuffed. "I promise I'll get my revenge! I'll-" He was knocked out then. Snivy saw various medics rush over to Cynthia and Ash, and sighed in relief.

Her body aching, Snivy fell down besides the blonde, tired completely. The battle was over. They could go back to their lives easily now.

This day was too hectic…

Xxx

 _After three days…_

"Who in the right mind told you guys to attack Michael all alone?!" Officer Jenny scolded Ash and Cynthia. They were back in Cerulean City, resting in a hospital. The doctor had told Ash that a few of his ribs were cracked due to the Iron Head. Nothing serious given their medical facilities but it still warranted a few days of rest.

Cynthia's right hand was in a cast. Michael had stomped down pretty bad on it. The doctor had told her to give it some time to recover completely.

"He had our Pokémon." Ash half-lied. "We couldn't have left them alone." He murmured.

"You could've contacted us!" She retorted. "I swear, the nerve of kids these days." She sighed, massaging her temples. "What's your excuse, madam?" She turned to Cynthia.

"I cannot let Ash try alone." Cynthia replied in a small voice. "He could've been hurt worse."

"Yeah right." She rolled her eyes. "You could've been through a lot more had we not reached in time. Do you even know about Michael?" They shook their heads. "He's one of the top most criminal of Kanto and ranks pretty high in the international criminal record. He has a lot of felonies under his belt. Poaching, kidnapping, ransom, murder, rape," Her eyes lingered on Cynthia.

"He could've done anything to you." She told the two. "It's a good thing your friend Melanie informed us there. God knows what could've happened to her due to you." She snarled at Ash.

Ash looked at Cynthia with wide eyes. The blonde was unmoving, replaying Jenny's words in her head. _'He was about to…'_ Cynthia couldn't even finish the sentence.

"Yeah. I'm taking my leave now." She got up from the foot of Ash's bed. "Go talk to your parents. They're mad worried about you." Her eyes hardened. "And if I catch you mingling with criminals ever again, I'll personally revoke your training licenses."

She left the room, leaving them alone. The air was heavy. "Why did you lie?" Cynthia questioned Ash. "It wasn't your plan alone. We both decided to do it."

You've suffered enough as it is Cynthia." Ash responded. "That's why I'm taking responsibility for this stunt."

"You don't have-" She was interrupted.

"Yes I do." Ash retorted steadily. "Now c'mon, let's go attend our phone calls." They both gulped in fear.

 _Until next time…_

Xxx

 **Wow. This turned dark pretty soon. I guess this shows that Conqueror isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Don't know when I'll write another chapter like this. Probably around Saffron I guess.**

 **Next chapter will have some twists in the story so stay tuned! Until next time readers! Bye!**

 **List of Pokémon:**

 **Eevee: Quick Attack, Sand Attack, Shadow Ball. Dig. Iron Tail. Double Team, Swift, Bite. (Detect)**

 **Zeus: Thunder Bolt, Nasty Plot, Thunder Wave, Iron Tail, Dig, Double Team, Feint, Nuzzle, Charge. (Volt Tackle)**

 **Skylar: Tackle, Quick Attack, Gust, Sand Attack, Aerial Ace, Steel Wing, and Double Team. (Sky Attack)**

 **Oceanus: Water Gun, Water Pulse, Tackle, Smokescreen, Agility, Bubble Beam, Whirlpool, Twister.**

 **Snivy: Vine Whip, Leer, Leaf Storm, Slam, Swords Dance, and Leaf Blade. (Grassy Terrain)**

 **Cynthia Pokémon:**

 **Braixen: Scratch, Hypnosis, Ember, Flame Burst, Quick Attack, Flame Charge, Howl, Bite. (Heat Wave).**

 **Nidorino:** **Tackle, Poison Sting, Confusion, Double Kick, Fury Attack, Peck, Focus Energy.**

 **Roselia: Mega Drain, Growth, Poison Sting, Magical Leaf, Leech Seed, Synthesis, Energy Ball.**

 **Buizel: Water Gun, Sonic Boom, Ice Punch, Ice Beam, Vacuum Wave, Aqua Jet, Ice Fang.**


	10. Separate Ways

**Mark Andrew: All will be answered within due time.**

 **UltimateCCC: You sure?**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon and most probably never will. Sad music please.**

Xxx

 **Separate Ways!**

"I can explain mom." Cynthia mumbled in a small voice. Sophie's silvery eyes were full of barely restrained anger.

"Explain what?!" She shouted. "About how you were going to die? Oh hi mom, today I almost died. But who cares? I'm alive, barely, but I'm alive." She growled sarcastically.

"…" Cynthia didn't meet her gaze, hiding her face with her hair like she did when she was embarrassed.

"How are you though?" She questioned in concern. Cynthia simply raised her bandaged right hand. "And?" Cynthia stared back innocently but wilted when she saw her anger.

"His Sableye dealt some internal damage." She responded in a small voice. "Nurse Joy healed it up without any side effects though." She quickly added which was a lie.

"Ok." She responded, face void of any emotion. "Bye." The call was cut off. Cynthia sagged in her seat, breathing heavily. A hand touched her shoulder consolingly.

"How was it?" Ash questioned.

"Horrible." Cynthia responded. She looked up and saw Ash looking away from her. His eyes were full of shame, guilt, and sadness. "What happened Ash?" She asked.

"They had a chat." He replied slowly. "Mom said that we should travel alone now."

"What?!" Cynthia exclaimed. She quickly composed herself when she saw people were staring. "Why?"

"You see…"

 _Flashback…_

" _I know you love Pokémon and all but that doesn't mean you'll willingly sacrifice yourself for them!" Delia scolded._

" _I couldn't let him take our Pokémon!" Ash protested._

" _You could've called the police first though!" Delia growled._

"… _That never crossed my mind." Ash face palmed._

" _And she had to suffer!" Delia snarled. Ash stared at her in shock. "Do you know what Cynthia would've gone through if that older girl hadn't called the police?"_

" _But she's…" Ash weakly protested._

" _Yeah right. You didn't think about her at all." Delia rolled her eyes. "Do you know what Sophie is going through right now? She cannot stop crying at the moment. Hasn't she gone through enough and now you go endangering her only daughter. Real smooth Ash real smooth." She clapped sarcastically._

 _Ash didn't say anything. He didn't utter anything. "You and Cynthia will travel separately now. That's final." She declared. "If you do otherwise, then…" She trailed off._

" _I'll call your dad. And revoke your Pokémon license. Bye!" The call ended._

 _Flashback end…_

"Oh." Cynthia mumbled. "Now?" She asked.

"We're going separate." Ash answered.

Xxx

"How are you guys?" Melanie questioned. Ash shrugged.

"We're fine more or less." Ash answered. Both were ready to leave after one week and half of rest. There Pokémon had recovered pretty quickly though and had trained lightly.

"I'm really sorry you had to go through so much due to me." Melanie apologized in a small voice. Her eyes were enough evidence that she really was sorry.

"It wasn't your fault." Cynthia answered softly. "Besides, we're fine now."

"I know just how _fine_ you are." Melanie snapped. "He's still recovering and has to keep travelling and training under limits. You," She pointed to Cynthia. "Have a recently healed hand and suffer from PTSD and nightmares due to that Sableye."

Seeing none of them saying anything, Melanie sighed. "I'm really sorry you're so hurt because of me." Melanie straightened herself. "Anyway, I have a few things to give to you two."

"The eggs?" Cynthia asked. Melanie nodded. The brunette reached into her bag and pulled out two eggs. One was a bright orange egg and the other was dull blue.

"Isn't that a Charmander egg?" Ash asked a bit excitedly. Melanie nodded.

"I don't know about this one though. Bulbasaur found the two alone a little while back and brought them to me." Melanie explained. "I wanted them to see the real world and who better to take care of them than you?"

"I doubt that statement." Ash muttered under his breath.

"I'll take the unknown one." Cynthia spoke up. "One, because I'm curious what it'll hatch into. Two, Ash wanted a Charmander since his childhood." She smirked at him. "I still remember how you cried for one-" Ash clamped his hand on her mouth to quiet her.

"Thanks for the eggs Melanie." Ash said after quieting Cynthia down. The two took the eggs, covered by an incubator, and adjusted them in their arms.

"Guess something good finally came out of it." Cynthia joked.

"That's not all." Melanie said suddenly. The two stared at her. She pulled the two pokéball from her bag and called them out. Squirtle and Bulbasaur materialized from them.

Melanie knelt before them and hugged the two tightly. "They want to go with you." She explained. "The League will be taking custody of the Hidden Village from now on. So I thought it would be best if they travelled with you two and saw the world."

"Wait." Cynthia interrupted. "Why is the League taking over the Hidden Village?"

"That's partly my wish." Melanie began. "We barely fought off the last poacher. What if another one attacks again? I don't want to risk anyone's life. Besides, the League can take more care of them than me alone."

"That sounds about right." Cynthia nodded. She saw Squirtle walking near to her while Bulbasaur moved over to Ash. "I think they already made their choice eh?"

"I guess so." Ash knelt down to Bulbasaur. "Want to come with us Bulbasaur?" He nodded with determination. Ash took his pokéball from Melanie. "I'll call you back out later. Ok?" The Palletian returned his new addition and saw Cynthia doing the same.

"You're going to Saffron or the Rock Tunnel?" The blonde asked the raven-haired boy.

"Rock Tunnel. I need to train a bit more before tackling Surge or Erika." He responded. "You?"

"Saffron. From there I'll go to Celadon." The blonde answered. "Let's head out now."

"It was nice meeting you two." Melanie smiled. "If you want to ever meet me, I'll be in Cerulean City." Goodbye done, Melanie walked away leaving the two alone.

"See you around blondie." Ash joked. Cynthia gave him a playful push.

"Sure. _Ashy boy._ " Ash grunted at the nickname.

"Now you're starting to act like Gary." He complained. Cynthia pulled him in a tight hug at that.

"I'll miss you." She mumbled.

"Me too." Ash mumbled back. "Wait." He said, breaking the hug. Cynthia gave him a questioning look. "You're taller than me!" He exclaimed.

Cynthia gave him a teasing grin. "Oh, you shouldn't have mentioned that. Gary would love to hear that. The mighty Ash disturbed by my height." Ash glared at her in response. The two locked eyes before breaking into laughter.

"Until next time then Cynth." Ash said, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Don't be so sad!" Cynthia chided. "We can meet periodically. Kanto isn't that big." She winked. "And we can chat on our pokedex anyway. You have my ID, right?"

"Yup." Ash checked the clock. "Anyways, it's getting late. See you later blondie." He smirked and walked off. Cynthia gave his retreating form her own smirk and left on her own path.

Xxx

The first thing Ash did after entering Route 9 was releasing his starter. Eevee came out, yipping in confusion when she noticed they weren't at the Pokémon Center anymore.

"We're at Route 9." Ash explained. "Cynthia and I have gone our separate ways as you know." Eevee nodded. They had broken the news to their Pokémon the day after the calls.

The two walked in silence for a while, a silence so uncomfortable and so foreign to them. Eevee yipped to get his attention finally. Ash looked down at her and found her looking at him in concern.

"What's up girl?" Ash questioned, crouching next to her. Eevee climbed into his arms, nuzzling against him. Ash got up, letting her settle on his shoulder. "Hey Eevee." Eevee yipped and looked at him confusedly. "Do you think what happened in the Hidden Village was because of me?"

She immediately protested. What was Ash on about?! The only reason they survived was because of them! Ash scratched behind her ear to calm her frantic yips down.

"I know, I know." Ash chuckled lightly. Any further conversation was halted as a trainer decided to challenge him. "You're up Eevee." Ash said.

Xxx

Cynthia silently strolled alongside the green route leading to Saffron, a nice change to the blend of rocky cliffs and greenery of Route 9. Besides her was Roselia, whom she had summoned to bond with, and Nidorino, who was way more protective of her at the moment.

She didn't blame him. What had happened about a week ago was something she wouldn't be able to forget for a long time. Cynthia subconsciously tensed at the flashback.

' _Don't hurt me…'_ Cynthia shook her head to block that thought. He was away, looked up and in prison. Away from her, he cannot hurt her. Cynthia breathed deeply and exhaled to clear her thoughts. She felt someone touch her and glanced at Roselia.

Roselia was looking at her with a concerned look. "Don't worry Roselia. I'm fine. Just a bad thought." Cynthia smiled softly at her. Nidorino growled but was placated by a pat from Cynthia.

"Just missing Ash, you know." She added after a moment. "After shifting to Pallet Town, he was the first friend I had there. From the moment we met, we became fast friends."

Nidorino growled in agreement. All of them were aware of just how close Ash and Cynthia were. "And now, we're both alone. He's at Route 9 while I'm heading towards Saffron. Just because of something we had no power over."

Cynthia clutched Braixen's pokéball tightly in her palm. "But we're gonna train hard, right guys?" She questioned Nidorino and Roselia. "We'll never let anything like this happen ever again."

They cheered in response. "I was thinking of ways to train you two, you know." Cynthia told them idly. "We'll work on them later on, okay? Be ready." They nodded.

And then the trainers of Route 5 began. And Cynthia had a nice day of battles.

Xxx

"Thunderbolt!" Ash ordered. Zeus dodged the Wing Attack from the opponent and unleashed his powerful charge. The poor Pidgey didn't have a chance before his unforgiving lightning scorched him.

"Pidgey!" The trainer yelled in concern. Seeing his bird was unconscious, he returned him. "Fine! You win." He reached into his wallet and handed over the prize money. Ash pocketed it and walked on, Zeus on his shoulder. "Nice job Zeus." Ash said, scratching behind his ear.

Zeus squealed in pleasure, nuzzling Ash's cheek. Ash chuckled a bit at the stray arcs of electricity gave a weak jolt to him. The two walked in comfortable silence, enjoying the nature.

After about fifteen minutes, Ash noticed another trainer eyeing him peculiarly. His eyes lit up a bit seeing Zeus and approached him.

"Battle?" Ash questioned. He nodded. The trainer had lavender hair and wore baggy clothing. His black eyes betrayed any emotion he was feeling.

"Three-on-three." Ash raised an eyebrow at the request. Trainers on routes like this preferred short one-on-one battles or two-on-two for a few rare occasions. The few who actually did Three-on-three were mostly trainers who were about to return back to civilization.

"Any problem?" He asked. Ash couldn't help but notice his accent matched Cynthia's a bit. There was that foreign taste in it.

"You're from Sinnoh?" Ash asked curiously. The trainer's eyes did perk a bit up in surprise.

"How do you know that?" He questioned.

"Got a friend from there. Your accent matched hers." Ash shrugged.

"I see." He mumbled. "Wanna battle now?" Ash nodded and the two separated a few paces.

"Skylar I choose you!" Ash's Skylar came out, shrieking at him intimidatingly. Paul called his own Pokémon out, a grey-brown avian. Ash looked at the foreign Pokémon with interest.

"Staravia, Quick Attack." His opponent issued his first command. His avian, now identified as Staravia, raced forwards at high speeds. Skylar skipped into her own Quick Attack, dodging her opponent's attack.

"Quick Attack. Test her." Skylar let Staravia catch up to her and dove down, letting her pass above her. She then burst forward and hit her back.

"Straighten up and Gust." Staravia quickly gained control and spun around, flapping her wings to create gales.

"Quick Attack into Double Team." Ash smirked. Skylar split into various copies of herself, all moving with Quick Attack's speed. His opponent's interest did peak at the skillful switch.

"Aerial Ace." Staravia abandoned her Gust and flew forwards, a silvery trail behind her. She evaded the Double Team copies easily and then slammed into the real Skylar.

Both of them reeled back from the impact, momentum lost. Locking eyes for just a moment both burst away, preparing for another strike. "Quick Attack Skylar!" Skylar shrieked in response and zoomed towards Staravia.

"Quick Attack into Wing Attack." Staravia raced forwards to meet the Pidgeotto, wings glowing bright. Ash whistled and Skylar dipped just before collision.

She then spun and slammed a Steel Wing into Staravia's belly, knocking the breath out of her. "Gr." The trainer growled. Skylar finished her off with an Aerial Ace, landing near Ash with a triumphant look.

Staravia landed before the trainer, knocked out. He returned his avian, nodding to himself, and selected another one. "Nice tactic there." He praised. "Go Electabuzz!" Ash's interest peaked a bit at the Electric Type.

"Return for now Skylar." Ash mumbled, calling back his Flying Type. "Snivy I choose you!" Ash's Grass Snake came out, analyzing the Electric Type with a calculating eye.

"Where did you get a Snivy?" The trainer questioned.

"Long story." Ash responded. "What's your name though?"

"Paul." He answered. "Wanna continue the fight now?" Ash nodded. "Bulk Up Electabuzz."

"Swords Dance Snivy." Ash countered. Both quickly boosted up, awaiting the other's move.

"Quick Attack." Electabuzz blurred forwards towards Snivy who tensed, waiting for Ash's command.

"Vine Whip! Trip him." Snivy extended two vines towards the incoming Electric Type, aiming for his feet. To her surprise, Electabuzz jumped over them, rearing his fist back.

"Thunder Punch!" Electabuzz swung his fist at the Grass Snake who quickly back flipped out of the way. She landed, only to be tackled back from his Quick Attack.

"Leaf Blade now." Ash ordered. Snivy quickly balanced herself and swung her tail at Electabuzz. He retaliated with Thunder Punch, resulting in a stalemate. "Swords Dance!"

"Protect." Paul ordered. As Snivy's Leaf Blade increased in power, Electabuzz cancelled his Thunder Punch and instead formed a barrier between them. Snivy's boosted Leaf Blade slammed against it uselessly. "Now Thunderbolt!"

"Gr." Ash gritted his teeth as Snivy was bombarded with a powerful discharge. The Grass Snake withstood the strike, landing on her feet.

"Quick Attack into Thunder Punch!" Electabuzz rushed forwards, swinging his fist at Snivy. Snivy dodged to the side, jumping back to create some distance.

Electabuzz was relentless, however, and kept on closing in. "Leaf Storm!" Snivy unleashed her storm towards the Electric Type who was unable to dodge it and had no option but to bear it. "Now Leaf Blade!"

Snivy closed the distance, swinging her blade at him. "Protect!" Electabuzz grinned, blocking the attack yet again. Snivy's frustrated look turned into a pained expression as Electabuzz delivered a strong Thunder Punch to her.

"Snivy!" Ash yelled out in concern. Snivy skidded to a stop in front of him, breathing a bit heavily. "That Electabuzz is something else." Ash muttered.

"You don't have much experience with her do you?" Paul called out. Ash looked at him in surprise. "Your styles differ so much. No wonder you're having such difficulty."

Ash looked at his Grass Snake who was glaring at Electabuzz. _'Everyone has a different style of battling Ash.'_ May's words rang. _'A good trainer knows and understands this fact.'_

"Thunderbolt now." Electabuzz unleashed his Thunderbolt again towards Snivy who jumped out of the way. Electabuzz took the moment to close in with Quick Attack and use Thunder Punch.

"Snivy!" Ash called out. Snivy, who was busy dodging Electabuzz's strikes, spared him a glance. That turned out to be a mistake as Electabuzz punched her into the ground. Snivy hit the ground hard, trying to get up when electricity coursed through her.

"Amateur." Paul taunted. Ash stared at Snivy with despair as she was punched with another Thunder Punch.

"I forfeit Snivy!" Ash called out. Electabuzz stopped his assault and stepped back. Ash called back his battered Grass Snake, sighing sadly. "You were epic out there girl. Take a rest." He muttered to the pokéball.

"That was hardly a fair fight." Paul taunted, returning his Electric Type. "You need more experience with her." Ash decided not to rise against the bait.

"Eevee, I choose you!" Ash called out his starter. Eevee came out, growling at the trainer in front of her. Paul gave Ash a surprised look.

"Just how many rare Pokémon do you have anyway?" He questioned.

"Enough." Ash responded tone a bit strained. "Ready Eevee?" She nodded. Paul clenched another pokéball and threw it, revealing a green quadruple Pokémon. "Huh?" Ash exclaimed in surprise.

"He's a Turtwig." Paul informed him. "One of Sinnoh's starter." The Pokémon, Turtwig, barked at Eevee.

"Thanks." Ash readied himself. "Eevee, Swift!"

And the battle continued.

Xxx

Cynthia sat down in a tree's shade, deciding to give her tired feet a break. She scratched Nidorino's chin as he decided to rest besides her. "I'm exhausted." She told him. Nidorino growled agreement.

She rested her head against the trunk, closing her eyes for a brief respite. After a brief rest, she stretched and unzipped her backpack. "Hey Nidorino." She called out, shaking her Poison Type.

Nidorino opened one eye, looking at her lazily. "Here." She said, offering an apple to the grassland type. Nidorino opened his mouth, crunching down the treat in one mind.

Cynthia got up then, unzipping her backpack and shouldering it. "Do you want to rest?" She asked. Nidorino shook his head, getting up. "You'll get tired Nidorino. I'll need you for battles." She chided.

Nidorino growled in response. Cynthia sighed, knowing she couldn't convince him otherwise no matter how hard she tried. "Your wish Nidorino, your wish." She began her trek, wondering just how long it'll take her to reach Saffron.

' _Saffron has one of the strongest gyms of Kanto. Better leave her for later.'_ Cynthia thought to herself. _'I can go to Celadon from there and challenge Erika. The departmental store there has some stuff I can use too.'_

The stuff she was actually looking forward to was TMs. TM's were short for Technical Machines. The blonde wondered about the moves she could teach her team and go further into versatility.

' _Erika can help me to train Roselia further too.'_ Cynthia planned. _'I really need to find ways to train my Pokémon.'_ She added a moment later. Any further thoughts were halted as Nidorino grunted in warning.

Cynthia saw a trainer approaching her. Putting her thoughts on the back burner, she clenched Braixen's pokéball.

And the battle commenced.

Xxx

Eevee swung her tail towards the Sinnoh starter, unleashing a myriad of explosive stars. "Razor Leaf." Turtwig growled and retaliated with sharp leaves. The two met in midair and exploded against each other.

"Quick Attack now!" Ash decided to go on the offensive. Paul tried to keep track of the brown blur but it was pretty hard.

"Endure it." Turtwig growled as Eevee slammed into his side, but held his ground. Ash called out for another Quick Attack. Turtwig withstood another strike, growling a bit at the impact.

"Razor Leaf." Turtwig growled and swung sharp leaves around him. Eevee jumped over a few, coming to tackle him from the side. "To the side! Then Head butt."

To Ash's surprise, Turtwig managed to move to the side in time, evading Eevee, and tried to ram into her side. Eevee, however, was quick on her feet and dodged.

"Sand Attack!" Ash grinned. Eevee dug her paws into the ground, digging up a paw-full of dirt, and threw it at Turtwig's face.

"Head butt straight forward." Turtwig ran straight into the dirt, moving through and hitting Eevee. The Evolution Pokémon was pushed back from the impact. "Bite!"

"Bite Back!" Ash ordered. Eevee yowled in pain as the Grass Type bit into her collar and then bit back. The two began to furiously bite into the other.

Ash noted Paul's cleverness. He knew Turtwig was a sitting duck when blinded by Sand Attack and so, decided to put his Pokémon as close to Eevee as possible.

"Shadow Ball into Dig!" Eevee opened her mouth and blasted Turtwig at point-blank. Turtwig was sent reeling back a bit and his opponent escaped into the ground.

"Clever." Paul admitted. Turtwig opened his eyes, cleared from the sand by now. "Run around Turtwig. Don't let them find you." Turtwig took off in a dash, zooming right and left to avoid Eevee.

"Shadow Ball!" Eevee burst besides Turtwig, launching the ghostly sphere. Turtwig was unable to dodge the accurate attack, getting hit and sent skidding. "Quick Attack into Iron Tail!"

"Razor Leaf now!" Paul commanded. Eevee burst towards Turtwig, tail steeled, as her opponent unleashed wave upon wave of sharp leaves. Eevee jumped above them, spinning to deliver her attack with a higher momentum.

She didn't expect Turtwig to move to the side at the last second and then Head butt her. "Bite!" Turtwig jumped forward, opening his mouth. Eevee gasped in pain as he bit into her, preparing a Shadow Ball.

Turtwig let go and rammed his head into her belly, knocking the wind out of her. Eevee's Shadow Ball dispersed, leaving her open for more damage.

"Bite back!" Ash growled. Paul was pretty skilled in battling, using his Pokémon's abilities to their best. Eevee bit Turtwig back, engaging him in a furious battle of bites.

"Mega Drain." Paul ordered with a grin. The color from Ash's mouth drained as Turtwig began to suck Eevee's energy. Eevee's yowled in pain, trying to get away. Unfortunately, Turtwig had bit down on her neck, keeping her down with his body weight.

"Shadow Ball!" Ash ordered. Eevee tried to form the orb but Turtwig rammed his head into her face, sending her back down dizzy. Ash gritted his teeth at the predicament his starter was in.

"Give it up." Paul told him from his side. "Eevee is too tired to continue battling now." It was true. Eevee's struggles were growing sluggish by the second.

' _There has to be a way!'_ Ash thought furiously. _'Wait a second.'_ Ash thought, an idea in his head. "Iron Tail now!" Eevee's tail was free from Turtwig's hold.

Eevee steeled her tail, slamming it on Turtwig's rear and misbalancing him. She took the opportunity to push him off her, firing a Shadow Ball and dashing away with Quick Attack.

"Clever." Paul grunted. Turtwig got up, looking refreshed and free of any damage sans the Shadow Ball. Eevee, on the other hand, looked at the end of her rope.

"You okay girl?" Ash questioned. Eevee yipped an affirmative. Her heavy, labored breathing and slumped form sang another story though. Ash thought of a way that could turn the battle around.

' _None of Eevee's moves are strong enough to dent that Turtwig's defenses.'_ Ash thought, having a rough measure of his opponent's starter. _'That Mega Drain healed him up perfectly while Eevee can faint with a few hits. Eevee doesn't have enough stamina to outrun him too.'_

"You should just give up Ash." Paul told him. "Eevee cannot fight much longer against Turtwig." Ash considered it. Eevee snarled in retaliation. Hell if she'll quit!

"I'm not giving up that easily." Ash responded. "Ready Eevee?" Eevee nodded, getting ready. "Dig now!" Eevee disappeared into the ground quickly, using her adept skills to maneuver underground.

"That again?" Paul questioned. "On the move Turtwig." His starter zoomed around the battlefield again. Ash kept a calculated eye on the Grass Type, and smirked.

"Double Team!" Eevee burst under Turtwig, landing a clean hit this time, and split into a dozen copies. Turtwig landed on his back, quickly shifting to his feet, and saw a dozen copies circling him.

"Razor Leaf them-" Paul was interrupted as one of the copies struck a powerful Iron Tail into his side. He looked in surprise as all the copies moved at a fast pace, tails steeled.

"Double Tail!" Ash grinned. Eevee yipped and Turtwig was bombarded with Iron Tails from all sides. Ash grinned at Paul's look. "What up? Surprised?"

"A bit." He admitted. Turtwig growled in pain as a particularly strong hit struck his jaw, whipping it to the side. "Endure it Turtwig!" Paul ordered. Turtwig gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the pain.

Ash knew what Paul was aiming for. He knew the onslaught couldn't last forever and was trying to outlast it. "Shadow Ball!" Eevee yipped and appeared in front of Turtwig.

Paul's starter blinked.

And was promptly blasted to his trainer's side, battered. Eevee was left panting, laden with sweat. In front of her, Turtwig struggled to his feet, barking a challenge.

"Head butt now!" Turtwig charged Eevee, the Evolution Pokémon glaring at his approaching form.

"Quick Attack into Iron Tail." Eevee sluggishly ran forwards, swinging her tail against Turtwig's head. The Grass Starter was sent skidding back from the hit, growling.

"Razor Leaf." Eevee gasped as sharp leaves cut into her body, staggering back. Turtwig charged forwards, aiming to land another Head butt.

"Double Team!" Eevee created six copies, one of them vanishing against the Head butt.

"Razor Leaf all around the field! She cannot dodge any longer!" Turtwig swung sharp leaves all around the field, hitting her copies and cutting through them. To Paul's surprise, no copy remained.

"Iron Tail." Eevee burst from under Turtwig, slamming her Iron Tail into his belly hard. Turtwig gasped from the hit, sent flying. He hit the ground hard, staggering to get up. "Swift!" Eevee swung her tail, sending explosive stars towards him.

Paul didn't order any commands, letting Turtwig get damaged from the hits. His gaze was at Eevee, the Evolution Pokémon fighting through sheer will.

At last, the Swift stopped. Eevee nearly collapsed, breathing heavily. She looked ready to collapse any second. Turtwig got up, in rough shape but still better than the Evolution Pokémon.

"That's all?" Paul questioned. "All this for nothing?" Turtwig barked challengingly at Eevee who stared back silently. "Razor Leaf into Head butt!"

' _Eevee cannot dodge all of these leaves now.'_ Ash thought alarmingly. _'It's all or nothing now.'_ He looked at his starter. "Eevee. Quick Attack into Detect."

Eevee burst forwards, eyes closed, struggling to find the energy within her. The Razor Leaves closed in, about to hit her. Her eyes opened, a reddish tint in the chocolate brown, and she _moved_ through the sharp leaves without any damage.

However, what Ash or his starter didn't expect was for Turtwig to emerge from the _leaves_ , and slam into Eevee. He bit into her again, using Mega Drain.

Eevee was slammed into the ground heavily, gasping as Turtwig's heavy form slammed on her body, and laid down, stunned, as he Head butted her into the face.

Ash stared on in horror as his starter was sucked dry from Paul's starter. Eevee let out one last cry before fainting. Turtwig barked victoriously, yelling his victory.

"Good job Turtwig." Ash fell to his knees in shock, eyes wide and brain struggling to calculate the loss. Turtwig stumbled back to his trainer, grinning in victory. Paul returned his starter, seeing the downed Eevee and Ash.

"A valiant effort." He commented. Ash walked over to his starter, cradling her limp form in his arms. Paul approached Ash, staring into his defeated eyes with a neutral look.

Ash stared back. After a little while, Paul extended a hand. "You've got potential." Ash stared at the hand. "But you need to work hard. The battle with Snivy proved that."

Ash moved his own hand, clasping his. "I will." Ash responded. Paul nodded, pocketing his prize money.

"I'm off now. You heading to Rock Tunnel?" Paul questioned. Ash nodded. The purple haired trainer smirked. "Go train. You'll need it the next time we meet."

"We'll see soon enough." Ash responded. His latest rival walked away leaving Ash alone with his defeated starter. Ash knelt down, unzipping his backpack.

' _He was very strong man.'_ Ash thought while pulling out potions and berries. _'I need to up my game. First that poacher and now…'_ Ash shook his head to get rid of that hideous face.

A weak cry from Eevee was enough to gain his attention. Ash decided to tend to her first and then think. Snivy was pretty battered too.

Xxx

"Nice job Squirtle!" Cynthia cheered. Her latest capture was being taught Scald from Buizel. Originally taught from the TM Ash had earned from Misty, he was practicing and teaching.

Since they were no longer together, Squirtle didn't have the liberty to learn Scald. So, she was teaching him the old-fashioned way. Cynthia wondered just what Ash was doing at this time. Sun was about to set, and she had decided to setup camp early.

Nidorino was, to no one's surprise, besides her protectively. He was tired from trudging through the forest all day. Braixen was in her pokéball, tired after a rather brutal battle. Roselia was off practicing her moves against a tree.

"You got the basic idea down." She informed her latest capture. Squirtle looked at her. "Now, try to expand the water you shed and turn it hotter. Keep practicing, but focus on those two factors. Okay?" Squirtle nodded, turning to the tree in front of him. Buizel nodded at Cynthia, dedicating his attention to his trainee of the night.

Cynthia walked over to her place, sitting down. She idly scratched Nidorino's head, earning a pleased growl. Digging into her bag, she pulled out the egg Melanie had given her.

It was far from hatching, she knew that much. She had taken a few breeding classes when learning under Professor Oak and knew a bit about eggs.

For one, they wobbled a bit more when nearing hatching. Two, eggs normally required heat to hatch faster. Cynthia still didn't know what this egg would hatch into though.

"Who are you huh?" Cynthia muttered to the egg, pulling it out of the incubator. "Who species do you belong to?" She mumbled, rubbing it delicately. Nidorino opened one eye to look at the egg, closing it back down after a moment.

Cynthia closed her eyes, pulling the egg close to her chest. She laid her head back against the tree trunk, thinking about her journey. "You know, I'm really missing Ash." Cynthia mumbled to the egg. "He was there for me all this time. Now, we're away."

"All because of that darn idiot." She snarled. "Why did he take all the blame? That wasn't his plan to begin with. It was mine!" Cynthia remembered her chat with her mother.

" _It's because of that damned kid Ash that you're in this condition isn't it?" Sophie questioned. Cynthia looked at her with wide eyes. "Why did you have to follow him so stupidly?" She snarled._

" _Mom, it isn't his fault!" Cynthia protested._

" _Shut up!" Sophie roared. "I know full well whose fault it is! No need to take the blame of that stupid kid on yourself. You have suffered enough as it is!"_

" _No seriously, it isn't his-" She winced at the pure murderously look on Sophie's face._

" _I have read the official police report Cynthia Carolina. I know full well whose fault it is!" Cynthia shut up at that. Ash had taken the blame in front of Officer Jenny too._

"That idiot." Cynthia mumbled. "Always taking the hit for others." She opened her eyes, full of tears. Before she knew it, a tear escaped her eye, splattering against the egg.

Something stirred inside the egg. Cynthia broke her façade, breaking down into sobs. Tears raced down her cheeks as she clenched the egg tightly.

Nidorino growled in concern besides her but didn't intervene. He knew Cynthia needed to vent her emotions. He settled on looking at her instead.

"First, my parents divorced." Cynthia sobbed. "Mom left dad and moved to Kanto. Then some shady figure nearly killed Ash." Cynthia winced at the flashback of the memory.

" _Ash!" A young Cynthia wailed at the paling form of her friend. "Don't leave me Ash! I-"_

Cynthia caught her thoughts. "Then, this stupid incident." She said, managing to control herself. "He stupidly took the blame, just like before."

"He's a dork." Cynthia admitted. "A dork, albeit an adorable one." She chuckled a bit. "That's why I like him so much." Cynthia sighed, resting her chin on the egg. "But enough about these dark thoughts, tell me about yourself. Who're you?"

Cynthia knew she would get no response, but decided to pursue nevertheless. "Why so quiet?" She cooed. "You know, I was shy too, before meeting Ash." She smiled a bit. "You'll open up eventually too." The blonde kept talking to the egg, dozing off bit by bit.

Before she knew it, she was asleep, the egg tightly in her arms, protected from the cold by her body heat, protected by Nidorino. Cynthia didn't know it, but the egg wobbled a bit in her arms.

Her Pokémon all returned from their training to see Cynthia asleep. One look from Nidorino was enough for them to not disturb her. They all walked over to her, sleeping near her. Squirtle simply withdrew into his shell, while Roselia and Buizel laid down, a bit tired from training.

Xxx

Waking up from a nightmare never felt good, but it was kind of deluded by the way her Pokémon slept near her. Cynthia opened her eyes, looking around her.

"Huh?" She mumbled, and then realized the egg in her arms. "Oh hey, little one." She smiled, giving it a kiss, and then placed it in the incubator.

As she half expected, Nidorino was awake. He growled a greeting to her which she returned with a pet. Cynthia got up, waking her Pokémon for the day.

"Saffron City is still far away guys." She chided them. "I know you're tired and so am I but once we reach there, I treat you. Okay?" That was enough of a bribe for them and they got up.

Weakened but not finished, will our heroes bounce back stronger than ever? Find out in the next update!

Xxx

 **List of Pokémon:**

 **Eevee: Quick Attack, Sand Attack, Shadow Ball. Dig. Iron Tail. Double Team, Swift, Bite. (Detect)**

 **Zeus: Thunder Bolt, Nasty Plot, Thunder Wave, Iron Tail, Dig, Double Team, Feint, Nuzzle, Charge. (Volt Tackle)**

 **Skylar: Tackle, Quick Attack, Gust, Sand Attack, Aerial Ace, Steel Wing, and Double Team. (Sky Attack)**

 **Oceanus: Water Gun, Water Pulse, Tackle, Smokescreen, Agility, Bubble Beam, Whirlpool, Twister.**

 **Snivy: Vine Whip, Leer, Leaf Storm, Slam, Swords Dance, and Leaf Blade. (Grassy Terrain)**

 **Bulbasaur: Tackle, Poison Powder, Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Energy Ball, Mega Drain, Protect.**

 **Cynthia Pokémon:**

 **Braixen: Scratch, Hypnosis, Ember, Flame Burst, Quick Attack, Flame Charge, Howl, Bite. (Heat Wave).**

 **Nidorino:** **Tackle, Poison Sting, Confusion, Double Kick, Fury Attack, Peck, Focus Energy.**

 **Roselia: Mega Drain, Growth, Poison Sting, Magical Leaf, Leech Seed, Synthesis, Energy Ball.**

 **Buizel: Water Gun, Sonic Boom, Ice Punch, Ice Beam, Vacuum Wave, Aqua Jet, Ice Fang, Scald.**

 **Squirtle: Water Gun, Water Pulse, Withdraw, Rapid Spin, Headbutt, Protect.**


	11. Bonding

**Can you guess what the Pokémon is in Cynthia's Egg? I'm pretty sure you won't get it. Try to prove me otherwise though.**

 **Response to reviews:**

 _ **Mark Andrew: You'll get happy chapters too! But you don't just recover from a scary incident in the blink of an eye. You take time to heal the wounds. About their Moms, every mother wants their children to be safe. Same about them. The only reason you're not liking them is because they have separated our protagonists.**_

 _ **UltimateCCC: Who said they love each other?**_

 _ **Guest: Thanks a lot bro for the insight! Appreciate it XD!**_

 _ **Uchiha cat: I cannot tell you what I'm planning but don't worry, it'll be worth it.**_

Xxx

 **Bonding.**

"Ember now!" Braixen roared and unleashed her fiery pellets. The opposing Bellsprout, already staggering from her previous hits, was unable to dodge.

"You're pretty strong." Her opponent admitted grudgingly. Cynthia smiled cheekily, accepting her prize money. "Where did you get her though?"

"She's my starter." Cynthia replied. The girl walked away, accepting her defeat. "You're guys are getting pretty strong though. No lies." Cynthia commented. Braixen blushed a bit at the praise.

It was true. Just now, Buizel finished off two pokémon on its own. Cynthia switched for Braixen because Buizel was a bit tired. The blonde's team had won battles left and right.

Cynthia had yet to meet a match. Either they were getting too strong from the hard training they underwent daily or she was having a lucky week.

Well, you can't say the blonde didn't deserve it, given the stuff that occurred not too long ago…

"The sun's about to set." Cynthia murmured. "My team's tired too. Let's call it a day." Cynthia decided to call it a day. The blonde quickly found a spot and made herself comfortable in it.

"Eat up guys." She told her team, serving them their food. They dug in, enjoying a well-deserved meal after a day full of battles. Cynthia sometimes felt guilty of forcing them to battle for her.

Shaking off that thought, Cynthia pulled out the unknown egg for its daily grooming. Every night, Cynthia would talk to it and cuddle it, sleeping with the egg in her embrace. A bit careless but the blonde had no doubt her team could handle any intruder or thief.

"Rest up today." She informed her team. "We'll continue training tomorrow." Her pokémon cheered at that, though Buizel seemed a bit put off by that.

Oh well, the blonde couldn't blame him. She'll feel put off if someone cancelled her favorite sport too.

Night flashed by and the sun arrived, carrying a brand new day along with it.

The next morning was also full of battles. Cynthia didn't mind. She actually wanted to battle all day. It helped ease her frustrations and anger.

"I should capture a Flying Type." Cynthia told Squirtle idly. She had the turtle out to have some one-on-one time. "It'll help in scouting for new additions to our team and to spot someone."

Squirtle nodded, sunglasses glinting in the sunlight. When she first saw the turtle, she couldn't help but burst into laughter at the accessory he liked to wear.

Apparently, he thought he looked cool.

"What's your rivalry with Buizel though?" The blonde questioned her latest capture. Squirtle grumbled in annoyance at the mention. "If it's something big, you can tell me."

Squirtle shook his head. He can settle score with that overgrown weasel himself no thank you! Cynthia shrugged. "No problem Squirtle. Your wish."

They could use a bit of healthy rivalry anyway. If it stayed small, she wouldn't intervene. But, if it begins to turn out of control, she'll intervene.

"Mind telling me your backstory Squirtle?" Cynthia asked. She saw the turtle stiffen slightly at the mention. "Only if you're comfortable sharing. No pressure." She assured him.

Squirtle nodded and chose not to respond. The blonde took that as a cue to change the topic. "Moving on," She carried on. "Do you have a crush on Braixen?"

Squirtle stared at her in shock and turned bright red. Cynthia barely withheld her chuckle at his reaction. "I saw your interaction with her last night."

 _Last night…_

" _Eat up guys." Cynthia told her team. They all dug into their food, tired and exhausted from the training and battling. Cynthia began the daily grooming of her egg, leaving them to their devices._

 _Naturally, our blue turtle took that as an opportunity. He picked his bowl and skipped near Braixen, sitting next to her. Braixen stared at him a bit wearily but resumed eating._

 _Squirtle cleared his throat, gaining her attention again, and tried to strike up a conversation. Braixen, trying to be polite, replied. Squirtle questioned as to why she was feeling so awkward which Braixen tried to play off._

 _Squirtle offered to give her some personal place if she desired. Braixen nodded and the turtle left. She sighed and continued to eat her food in peace._

 _Unknown to them, Cynthia was watching both with an amused look gracing her face._

 _Flashback End…_

"I suggest you give her some personal space." The blonde advised her turtle. "She's feeling queasy." Squirtle nodded, swallowing the tidbit of information.

He suddenly gained a mischievous idea and tugged her pants. "Yeah?" The blonde asked. Squirtle made a couple of gestures which Cynthia roughly translated. "Ash?" He nodded. "What about him?"

Squirtle wiggled his eyebrows (Did he even have that? Just imagine) in response and nudged her with a wink. Cynthia's cheeks flared up _just a bit_ at that.

"What are you suggesting?" She asked innocently. Squirtle made a couple of vaguely lewd gestures making her turn bright red. "What?!" She exclaimed. "How- what-" Cynthia covered her face with her hands.

Squirtle burst into laughter at that. Cynthia exhaled deeply to recover herself. "What the hell Squirtle?" She chided face red. "I'm still ten. You shouldn't crack such jokes!"

Squirtle shrugged and responded that if she could travel the world alone, than she's mature enough for such chats. "You're unbelievable." Cynthia murmured, shaking her head. The turtle shrugged innocently, saying it was her who understood.

"One more joke like this and I'll return you back to your pokéball." The blonde warned. Squirtle gave her a cheeky grin. The blonde looked straight ahead, trying to regain what little dignity she had left.

Squirtle adjusted his sunglasses smugly, winning their little bout. Cynthia spotted it and mentally vowed to get back at him later. Squirtle tugged at her pants again.

"What is it now?" The blonde asked. Squirtle gave her a serious look and gestured again. Cynthia, again, managed to translate it. "A serious question?" He nodded. "What is it?" She asked, curious.

Her face turned bright red at the question. "Squirtle!" The turtle only chuckled in response.

Xxx

"Vine Whip now!" Ash commanded. Snivy unleashed her vines towards Zeus who quickly repelled them with Iron Tail. He dashed towards them with Quick Attack, using Double Team simultaneously. "Counter Shield!"

Snivy jumped in the air, vines ready, and spun not unlike the way she used against Luxray. Her vines struck all around her, blowing away the copies and striking Zeus hard too.

"Now use Leaf Blade!" Snivy let gravity take control of her, positioning her sharpened tail against Zeus. Zeus quickly recovered and retaliated with Feint.

Ash was battling with Snivy to better understand her way of combat. The Grass Snake was still bitter of her loss against Paul's Electabuzz. Ash figured that he could use it to better fight with the snake.

"Stop!" Ash ordered as Snivy hit the ground hard in front of him, panting hard. "Great job guys!" Ash praised, kneeling in front of Snivy and helping her up.

Zeus dashed up his shoulder, nuzzling his cheek. Ash chuckled as a few stray sparks tickled him. "Epic as always Zeus. You're getting stronger boy." Ash told his first capture.

He turned to Snivy who was busy regaining her breathe. "You too Snivy." He began. "Keep it up and you'll catch up to the team in no time!" Snivy acknowledged him with a nod. "Take some rest guys. Zeus, you practice on your discharge, just like I told you after that. Snivy, you meet me after a little while for move tutoring."

He left them to their devices, moving to Oceanus and Skylar. The Seadra was trying to shoot down the avian through Water Gun while the Pidgeotto practiced dodging them.

So far, Oceanus had yet to hit her. Skylar was a pretty fast flier for her standards, and her evasive skills had all but increased from Viridian Forest. Oceanus's aim was pretty nice, but he could use some betterment.

Plus, discharging so much water could help him get ready for Hydro Pump. He could use Water Gun to its best, and Scald was utilized pretty nicely too, but the real deal was Hydro Pump.

Ash couldn't help but get goose bumps when he imagined the Seadra shooting down powerful adversaries like a Gyarados with his raw power.

The Seadra had a long way to go, but he was patient. The reward was worth the wait.

"Keep it up guys!" Ash hollered at the two. He walked to the last pair, Eevee and Bulbasaur. Eevee was currently doing her best to learn Take Down while Bulbasaur withstood her attacks.

Ash hadn't really given the Grass Starter's training much thought. At the moment, he was working on strengthening his defenses. Not known for their speed, Bulbasaur could use it.

For Eevee, Ash had made the decision after the battle with Paul. She could seriously use some attack power after the pummeling given by Turtwig.

The raven-haired boy still had trouble believing his loss. For one moment, he had honestly thought he had the battle in the bag. Eevee had given it her all too. But somehow, someway, Paul and his Turtwig took them down.

Maybe he should've used Oceanus or Zeus against his Turtwig than Eevee. Eevee was more of a hit-and-run battler. Her main power relied in wearing the opponent down and then finishing it off. Turtwig would've fell victim to that had he not used Mega Drain.

Zeus relied on the same strategy, but at least he would've shocked Turtwig back when he used Mega Drain and paralyzed him, sealing their win. And Oceanus had his raw power, unmatched by anyone currently in their team.

Eevee wasn't suitable for battling against such adversaries. Until she evolves, Ash had to train her as an all-rounder. Her evolutions all had their specialties.

Jolteon, Flareon, and Vaporeon were all elemental fighters. Vaporeon could dissolve into water and evade attacks; Jolteon could shock the opponent in submission or stun them with her fast speed while Flareon could brutally cook the opponent alive.

Umbreon was a defensive hunter, capable of withstanding hard blows and deliver back twice as much with Foul Play. She was perfect for battles in the dark due to her form, and her rings could turn tables with Confuse Ray.

Espeon was more of glass cannon, capable of dishing but not tanking. Her psychic capabilities, however, were more than enough to make up for that. Coupled with their loyalty and potential, they were just as strong.

Glaceon and Leafeon were similar to Eevee's current strategy. Wearing the opponent down and finishing them off. Ash didn't know much about them since they were comparatively more common in Sinnoh than Kanto, a land far from his current one.

Same about Sylveon. Ash didn't know anything at all about Kalos and its Pokémon. He'll have to ask his friend about that. He had met her during a Summer Camp and the two had bonded pretty nice over the course of said activity.

He wondered just what she'll be doing at the moment. She sure was old enough to start her Pokémon journey. Maybe she was also roaming Kalos?

Ash was pulled out of his thoughts from Bulbasaur's grunt. He felt a bit guilty at the look on Eevee's face, strained and tired. Bulbasaur himself was pretty bruised from Eevee's repeated attempted Take Downs.

"How's it going?" Ash asked them. Eevee gave a light yip in response while Bulbasaur grunted. "Tired?" He questioned. Bulbasaur nodded while Eevee shook her head. "Eevee, I know you're riled up from the defeat against Paul but don't strain yourself so bad."

Eevee shook her head at that. She'll take a break after she learns Take Down! Ash sighed and rubbed her head. "Easy girl, easy." He sighed. Ash heard Snivy call for him and turned around. "Ready already?" She nodded.

Ash inwardly sighed a bit. Both of them were taking the loss a bit too hard. Eevee was relentlessly training for Take Down, not caring about the recoil while Snivy was pushing her diet plans.

Well, Bulbasaur was there to stop his starter is she pushed too hard. And Snivy was going to learn a few moves anyway. That reminded him,

"Eevee, mind teaching Snivy Iron Tail?" Ash questioned. Eevee looked at him. "She could use a bit coverage and variety in her moves. And Bulbasaur, can you help her with Mega Drain?"

After seeing Paul's skillful use of Mega Drain, Ash wanted his pokémon to learn it too. Snivy could use some power and since Bulbasaur already knew how to use it, he could teach Snivy.

They nodded. Ash smiled at Snivy. "You go learn these moves while I plan further training. Kay?" She inclined her head. Ash got up and walked off, letting them train.

' _I'll check up on them later.'_

Xxx

Snivy stared off in the night sky, resting under a tree in an effort to calm her aching body. She had made a bit of progress with Iron Tail and got the basic idea of Mega Drain down. With enough practice, she'll be capable of using them too.

The Grass Snake was deep in thought. Thoughts about her past life, her traumatic upbringing, and stages of life. At least she was in a better phase at the moment.

The Grass Snake mentally chided herself. No need to jinx it. The last time she felt peace, that poacher crushed them. Snivy snarled at his memory, clenching her fist.

She heard someone call for her and looked at her side. She spotted Zeus looking at her with a casual look. Snivy quickly adjusted herself and asked him what he wanted.

Zeus shrugged, replying that he just wanted to check up on her. Snivy replied that she was just fine. The Electric Mouse nodded, standing there a bit awkwardly.

Snivy exhaled and closed her eyes, feeling her exhaustion catch up to her. An exhale of annoyance escaped her mouth as she heard Zeus call for her attention again.

She stared at him with annoyance, questioning what with barely concealed irritation. Zeus offered her an Oran Berry, saying that the blue colored berry would help ease her aching muscles.

Snivy took the berry after a moment of thought, thanking the mouse. Zeus nodded and turned around, walking away. Snivy stared at his retreating form for a moment before shaking her head.

Uttering 'males' under her breath, she began to eat the Oran Berry, savoring its taste. Finishing it quickly, she curled up, resting her head on her tail leaf, and joined the realm of sleep.

Eevee questioned Zeus about how his excursion went to which the Electric Mouse responded jovially. She told Zeus about a very interesting news that Ash was about to nickname her tomorrow morning.

Zeus congratulated her at that. The mouse yawned and informed Eevee he was off to sleep. Eevee nodded and the mouse left to sleep.

 _Scene Break…_

Xxx

Out of all the people Cynthia expected to run into on Route 5, she didn't expect it to be her childhood associate, Gary Oak. It was a happy day, travelling and battling the trainers camping on the route, when she spotted the spiky brunette.

"Hey blondie!" Gary greeted cockily. Cynthia resisted the urge to stomp his feet at the nickname. "Pleasant surprise seeing you here!"

"What are you still doing here?" The blonde questioned. "Shouldn't you be in Saffron or Vermillion by now?"

"Nah." He replied. "I'm taking my time with the gyms. Training and capturing Pokémon. We have tons of time anyway. The League is months away."

"Oh." That made sense.

"Anyway, let's have a battle blondie. We didn't have one in Cerulean City too!" He said. Cynthia nodded, thinking over her options. "One on One. I'll go easy, don't worry." He taunted.

Cynthia's eyebrow twitched. Oh, she'll love pummeling him into the ground now.

The two made space between them, thinking over their options. Cynthia decided on Buizel. "Buizel Battle Dance!" Cynthia's Water Type came out, crossing his arms and staring at Gary's Wartotle with an arrogant look.

"Where'd you get him?" Gary questioned. Cynthia smirked.

"Got him at Cerulean Peak." She responded. Gary nodded and ordered his first move. Wartotle withdrew into his shell, spinning at a fast pace. He shot towards Buizel who calmly awaited Cynthia's command.

"Evade with Aqua Jet!" Buizel enveloped himself in water, forming it as a bullet around him, and moved out of Wartotle's path with newfound speed.

"Ice Beam his jet!" Gary ordered. Wartotle popped back out and unleashed the icy arcing beam within moments. Cynthia was pretty impressed with his reaction time.

"Sonic Boom!" Buizel ended his Aqua Jet and swung his tail towards the icy beam. The two met and exploded, leaving only smoke. Buizel slipped into his Aqua Jet, moving into the smoke and coming out at the other end.

"Protect!" Wartotle was ready and formed a barrier around him. Buizel's Aqua Jet hit it harmlessly and bounced off. "Now use Water Pulse!"

"Water Gun!" Cynthia ordered hurriedly. Buizel fired off the blast of water at the Water Pulse, slowing its moment but not slowing it down. Cynthia was surprised at the power of the Water Pulse. "Shift to Ice Beam!"

Gary raised an eyebrow as Buizel utilized the Ice Type attack, freezing the Water Pulse and shattering it. He looked at Cynthia who had already ordered a Sonic Boom. Wartotle deflected it away using Rapid Spin.

"How can Buizel use Ice Beam?" Gary questioned.

"How can your Wartotle use Protect _and_ Ice Beam at such a young age?" Cynthia retorted.

"TMs. You're turn." He replied.

"He knew them before meeting me." Cynthia answered. Buizel and Wartotle stared at each other, awaiting the next move. Gary grinned.

"You know, I didn't expect this." He hollered at Cynthia. Cynthia stared at him in confusion.

"Expect what?" She asked. Gary gestured to the two Water Types.

"That you'll be able to match me hit for hit in a battle." He answered. Cynthia processed that for a moment before her face set in a scowl.

"Oh really?" Cynthia asked. Gary nodded cockily.

"I never really considered you as an equal competition." He added. "Being a bookworm and shy girl." Cynthia took that in. "Glad I was proven wrong. Wartotle, use Headbutt!"

"Ice Punch!" Cynthia retaliated with renewed vigor. Buizel reared back his fist, icy energy coating it, and slammed it into the approaching Wartotle's head.

Wartotle gasped in pain, staggering backwards at the cold sensation, and Buizel delivered another Ice Punch to his face. "Withdraw!" Wartotle escaped into his shell, narrowly missing another punch.

"Scald!" Cynthia pulled her wild card. Buizel opened his mouth and sprayed steaming water on Wartotle's shell, aiming for the opening. Gary's face lit up in alarm.

"Rapid Spin Wartotle!" Wartotle began to spin at high speeds, deflecting the boiling water away, and rammed into Buizel's stomach. Buizel momentarily stopped his Scald, giving Wartotle a large enough window of opportunity to escape.

"Gr." Cynthia growled. Her scowl turned into a smile as Wartotle suffered from the Burn Ailment.

"Clever." Gary grunted. He stared at Cynthia's cocky look with a scowl. "No need to celebrate so fast blondie! The battle isn't over yet!"

"Someone's pissed." Cynthia teased. "Buizel, use Aqua Jet!" Buizel shot towards the suffering Wartotle again.

"Ice Beam! Freeze that jet!" Gary ordered. Wartotle inhaled and unleashed his arcing beam straight at Buizel. Cynthia's cocky look didn't waver, remembering their first meeting.

"Move!" Buizel moved his _Aqua Jet_ and slammed into Wartotle, throwing him on his back. Gary looked on in stunned silence at the move. "Now use Vacuum Wave!"

"Water Gun!" Wartotle tried but Buizel used his move faster, slamming and damaging Wartotle nicely. "End this with Ice Beam!"

"Protect!" Gary ordered aggressively. Cynthia raised an eyebrow at his sudden anger, wondering just what had possessed him. The arcing beam struck the barrier, arcing away on the surface, and Buizel landed down.

"Wait Buizel." Cynthia uttered. Buizel stood calmly in front of the blonde, staring at the turtle with arms crossed. Wartotle got up, suffering again from the Burn Ailment.

"Return Wartotle." Gary called out. He returned his starter, pocketing the pokéball. Cynthia raised an eyebrow at his call. "Burn ailment weakens a Pokémon's attack power. There's no way Wartotle could beat your Buizel right now. Plus, he was pretty spent too."

"Great job Buizel." Cynthia said, patting his back just like he liked. "Return for now." She returned her Weasel Pokémon, looking at Gary with a cheeky smile.

"You've improved a lot." He admitted grudgingly. "Way better from the blondie that left Pallet Town."

"I try." Cynthia replied, her cocky look turning to a genuine look. "Hey, you tried hard too!" She said, trying to cheer her least favorite friend up. "Wartotle has nice reaction time."

"Trying to sweeten up my loss eh?" Gary asked with a sly smile. Cynthia shrugged innocently. "Where's Ash?" He asked suddenly. Cynthia's face darkened at the mention. "Something happened between you?"

"Well…" She bit her bottom lip. The blonde recounted the incident. Gary was her childhood friend, he deserved to know. "Sit down, this'll take a while."

Xxx

"Are you insane?!" Gary exclaimed in anger. Cynthia had reached the point where they had hit the poacher with a rock. Cynthia felt nervous inside. They hadn't even reached the worst part.

"The worst part is yet to come." She muttered timidly. Gary stared at her before burying his face in his hands.

"I swear to God…" He moaned in his palms. Cynthia wondered what his reaction was about. While she knew his reaction wouldn't be pretty, this was pushing it.

"Ok, let's just say that the ambush didn't go as planned." She continued. "Ash got hit by a Lairon's Iron Head." She winced at Gary's look. "He had broken ribs and mild PTSD." She stopped.

"And?" Gary prompted.

"And what?" Cynthia tried to avoid the question.

"And what else?" He continued. "Tell me Cynthia Carolina." Cynthia pursed her lips.

"I may have gotten injured too." She replied in a small voice. Seeing Gary's look, she raised the hand that had gotten broken. "It broke." Gary's face turned a bit relieved. "And I-" She choked back a sob.

Gary's face softened at that. "What happened?" He asked. "Tell me, Cynthia. C'mon." Cynthia replayed the memory in her head, feeling tears rush to her eyes. "Tell me Cynthia goddammit!" Gary cursed.

"He… he… nearly raped me." Cynthia wheezed to breath. Gary stared at her silently. "I'm also suffering from PTSD. That's all." She finished weakly. Cynthia stared at the ground, clenching her eyes close tightly so no tears would spill.

The two sat in awkward silence for a few moments, Gary thinking on what to say, Cynthia trying hard to control her tears. "Cynthia?" Gary said at last. "I'm sorry."

Cynthia took a shaky breathe, nodding to show its okay. "It's not your fault." She replied. Gary got up, offering her a hand. Cynthia took it and stood up.

"Where's Ash?" He asked. "That still doesn't explain why you both went separate ways."

"Our parents." Cynthia replied. "They made us do it. Ash took the blame on himself resulting in him getting scolded by both Delia and Mom." Cynthia told Gary. "They said that I would be better off alone than with him. That's the scope."

"Oh." Gary uttered. "How's your wrist now?" He grabbed it tenderly, looking over it.

"I'm fine now." Cynthia assured him. "Just PTSD and nightmares." She added, wilting under Gary's look.

"Where are you headed to?" Gary asked.

"Saffron City. Why?" The blonde asked although she had pretty much predicted the answer.

"I'm coming with you." Gary told him.

"You don't have to-"

"I _want_ to." Gary told him. Seeing her look, he sighed. "Look, I know what you're thinking and all but…" He trailed off. "You're my friend. I cannot leave you alone in your time of need."

Cynthia stayed silent. She stared at the person she least expected to be there for her, wanting to travel with her just to make sure she was alright.

"Okay then." Cynthia conceded. "It's time for lunch anyway. Let's eat up and then we'll continue." Gary nodded.

' _Nice twist Arceus. Nice twist.'_ Cynthia thought in her mind.

Xxx

As it turned out, Gary's company wasn't half bad.

After taking lunch, the duo was on the road again. Gary and Cynthia decided to take turns taking on the trainers, similar to what she did with Ash.

The reason she didn't like Gary was because of his egoistical attitude and persona. Deep down, she knew the brunette wasn't like it. But it was hard to bear when he was constantly downgrading someone.

As much as she would loathe admitting it, she needed someone for support. With Ash separated from her, Cynthia was alone in this vast world with only her pokémon. At least with Gary, she could be easy.

"Where's Leaf?" Cynthia asked Gary.

"How am I supposed to know that?" He questioned.

"Did she start her journey?" Gary nodded. "Good, that's what I wanted to hear."

"Could've said so." Cynthia gave him a glance at that before focusing on the road.

"Did you talk to Daisy?" She asked. Gary shook his head. "The last time I spoke to her was on your 8th Birthday. Where is she?"

"She's busy with her academics." Gary responded. "She's in Hoenn if you're wondering." Cynthia nodded.

"I still can't believe it." Cynthia began. "You said that you didn't expect competition from me. What did you mean by that?"

"That I didn't expect it. That's all." Gary defended. Seeing Cynthia's scowl, he quickly added. "At least I'm honest!" Cynthia looked away from him. "Look, when you came to Pallet, you were so withdrawn and shy, my **complete** opposite, so how the hell am I supposed to know that you'll be so skilled?"

"Language." Cynthia chided. Gary snorted at that. "And second, looks can be deceiving."

"You're sure are." He muttered under his breath. Cynthia stared at him, not properly catching that.

"Can you repeat that?" The blonde asked. Gary looked at her coyly.

"Nope." Cynthia shrugged.

"Your wish." Cynthia spotted another trainer approaching them.

"This one is mine." Gary told her. "Watch and learn kiddo."

"Sure. Maybe I'll defeat you much soundly next time." Cynthia cracked a smile at his eyebrow twitch.

It felt good to pay him back.

Xxx

"To be honest, I never considered you giving me company." Cynthia told Gary as they decided to settle for the night. Gary looked at her with a questioning look.

"You hate me that much?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. Cynthia held up her hands innocently. "Same here blondie." He said.

"Learning new things these days." Cynthia muttered. She had her egg in her lap, grooming it and rubbing it as usual. Food had been served, everyone was tired from the battles, and half were already asleep.

Gary had a lot of Pokémon. The brunette had said that he preferred to have multiple options and opted to catch every new species he came across.

"Do you have nightmares?" He questioned after a while. Cynthia paused at the question.

" _You deserve this." Cynthia stared wide eyed as the haunting figure held up a bloody knife. She was five years old again, staring in horror as the figure decided to kill her._

" _Please don't kill me." The small blonde wept. The figure's hand came down-_

 _-And Cynthia woke up with a start, panting heavily. Nidorino was up in an instant, rubbing against her arm comfortingly._

"Yeah." Cynthia admitted. She clenched the egg more tightly, pressing it against her chest for physical comfort.

"If you need anything, I'll be here." Gary informed her. "Okay?" Cynthia stared at the brunette.

"I'm not a defenseless young girl anymore Gary." Cynthia told him. "Stop treating me like that."

"I'm not!" Gary protested. "I'm just taking care of you." Cynthia rolled her eyes at that.

"I noticed what you were doing Gary." She retaliated. "Staying close to me protectively, keeping me busy in chats, avoiding any dark topics. Seriously, you're treating me like a fragile piece of glass and I don't like it."

"What else am I supposed to do then Carolina?!" Gary snarled suddenly. Cynthia was taken aback at his sudden outburst. Nidorino watched Gary carefully, not making a move. He had learnt his lesson with Ash not too long ago.

"I meet my childhood friend Cynthia Carolina on Route 5, alone, with a strange look in her eyes, battle her, find her personality a bit different, and then find out that she was attacked, injured, and still hasn't recovered. And then you say that I'm treating you specially." Gary glared at her. "I may not look like I care about you, but I do." He admitted.

Cynthia stayed silent, considering all that. She was acting strangely? The blonde knew she was a bit affected from the scene but it changed her this much?

"Oh." Cynthia said at last. "Alright. Good night Gary." Cynthia told him, looking away from him.

"Good night."

Xxx

"So Eevee," Ash began. "What name do you like more? Artemis, Ophelia, or Mystic?" Eevee considered the names. "Artemis is a Greek Goddess who excels in Archery. She's the twin sister of Apollo and represents the moon. Ophelia means Helper. And Mystic means someone who is mysterious. Thought you'll like one of these."

Eevee thought about the three names. To be honest, all three names were interesting and had a nice meaning behind them. Artemis and Ophelia had a nice ring to them. But, the meaning didn't exactly suit her.

Ophelia meant Helper and Eevee didn't consider herself as that much of a helper. Sure, she helped her teammates and Ash every now and then but it just didn't suit her personality.

Artemis was a nice option. And would really suit her if she wished to evolve into an Umbreon. However, it would also contradict with her if she evolved into any of the other evolutions, especially with Espeon. Plus, she didn't know anything about archery.

That left the last option, Mystic. It was a mysterious name, one she liked. She liked the mysterious tone it held. Plus, Mystic had a nice ring to it. It also wouldn't come in the way for her future plans.

Eevee pondered for a few more moments before making her decision. She yipped at Ash, gesturing him to repeat the moves. "Artemis?" She shook her head. "Ophelia?" Again, a shake of her head. "Mystic?" Eevee nodded.

Ash smiled. "Then Mystic it is!" Eevee, or rather, Mystic, cheered and fired off a Shadow Ball in the air to celebrate. Ash pulled Mystic into a hug. "Congratulations Mystic. It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" Mystic nodded.

"Go tell everyone. Then we're beginning our journey." Mystic nodded and jumped off Ash, running to their team and telling them enthusiastically.

Skylar shrieked her congratulations while Zeus nuzzled the Evolution Pokémon. Mystic approached Oceanus who rumbled in response. Zeus joked that his pranks on Mystic would bring bad luck to him. They shared a laugh at that.

Mystic asked them about Bulbasaur and Snivy's whereabouts. Zeus gestured to the side and Mystic yipped thanks. She approached the two Grass Types, both engaged in idle chit chat, and told them about her nickname.

Snivy simply nodded while Bulbasaur gave her a confused look. He asked Mystic what a nickname meant. Mystic replied that a nickname meant having a separate name that verified your identity. Bulbasaur asked whether it was necessary to have one.

Mystic shook her head. She replied that if you desired, you could get one. But if you don't, no pressure. She added Cynthia's example, telling him that she didn't nickname her Pokémon either.

Bulbasaur asked why to which Mystic shrugged. That was the blonde's mentality. She asked whether Bulbasaur wanted a nickname. Bulbasaur frowned in thought.

He turned to Snivy and asked if _she_ wanted one. Snivy grunted at that and informed them that she already had one. Mystic blinked in surprise. That was new.

Mystic asked what nickname she had and Snivy responded with 'Viper'. She had originally gotten it from the Skitty she had met in the Pokémon Mill. The Grass Snake decided against the fact that Skitty had betrayed her at the time of need and was partial reason she was abused.

Mystic asked Snivy if she wanted to be called by that name. Snivy considered it. The name brought a storm of bad memories and brought out the anger welled up inside her. She could use the anger to her advantage during fights.

Snivy nodded and asked Mystic whether she could inform their trainer about it. Mystic nodded and then turned to Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur shook his head, deciding against it. He didn't want his individual identity stripped.

Mystic nodded, respecting his decision. She informed the two that they were moving and that Rock Tunnel was approaching fast. Snivy, now named Viper, nodded and got up from the leaning position against the tree.

The Eevee ran to Ash and the two Grass Types followed her slowly. Bulbasaur looked at Viper, saying that there was more to the name than she let on, and Snivy simply gave him a look. She then smirked and goaded him on, telling the Grass/Poison Type to figure it out on his own.

Bulbasaur nodded, saying that he liked mysteries and that Viper herself was one. Viper shrugged. Maybe she was. Wishing Bulbasaur good luck, she left him behind and walked faster.

Bulbasaur wondered just what went through Viper's mind most of the time. When they first battled, she had defended Ash selflessly, taking hits herself. She was also getting pretty close to him until now.

Now, she just… she was getting distant. Bulbasaur wondered if it was because she kept losing against others, first that Luxray, and now Paul, or she was feeling alone.

Even now, when they were chatting, Viper was answering vaguely and was not even interested in carrying the chat. At the Hidden Village, she was at least chatting properly.

Bulbasaur made a mental note to bring up the issue to Ash. He was her trainer; he'll be capable of helping her more. Bulbasaur finally reached Ash and the others, returning himself to his pokéball like others.

The next time he came out was against a Geodude.

Xxx

 **And Done! Hope you liked the take I'm doing with the characters. I thought that Gary's personality wasn't properly showcased in his debut chapter and instead used as filler so I decided to clear it here. Hopefully you'll have a better feel about him in the upcoming chapters too.**

 **Shout out to UltimateCCC for suggesting the nicknames! The selected one was my own for a specific reason. It'll be cleared later down the road, don't worry! R &R please! It gives me motivation!**

 **Also, regarding the COVID-19, please stay clean and safe. Not just for yourself, but for everyone. The sooner this threat is erased, the faster we can go back to our normal lives. Us Teenagers can recover against it but newborn and old people are more susceptible against it. Stay safe!**

 _ **Ash's Team:**_

 _ **Eevee (Mystic): Quick Attack, Sand Attack, Shadow Ball. Dig. Iron Tail. Double Team, Swift, Bite. (Detect)**_

 _ **Pikachu (Zeus): Thunder Bolt, Nasty Plot, Thunder Wave, Iron Tail, Dig, Double Team, Feint, Nuzzle, Charge. (Volt Tackle)**_

 _ **Pidgeotto (Skylar): Tackle, Quick Attack, Gust, Sand Attack, Aerial Ace, Steel Wing, and Double Team. (Sky Attack)**_

 _ **Seadra (Oceanus): Water Gun, Water Pulse, Tackle, Smokescreen, Agility, Bubble Beam, Whirlpool, Twister, Scald.**_

 _ **Snivy (Viper): Vine Whip, Leer, Leaf Storm, Slam, Swords Dance, and Leaf Blade. (Grassy Terrain)**_

 _ **Bulbasaur: Tackle, Poison Powder, Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Energy Ball, Mega Drain, Protect.**_

 _ **Cynthia's Team:**_

 _ **Braixen: Scratch, Hypnosis, Ember, Flame Burst, Quick Attack, Flame Charge, Howl, Bite. (Heat Wave).**_

 _ **Nidorino:**_ _ **Tackle, Poison Sting, Confusion, Double Kick, Fury Attack, Peck, Focus Energy.**_

 _ **Roselia: Mega Drain, Growth, Poison Sting, Magical Leaf, Leech Seed, Synthesis, Energy Ball.**_

 _ **Buizel: Water Gun, Sonic Boom, Ice Punch, Ice Beam, Vacuum Wave, Aqua Jet, Ice Fang, Scald.**_

 _ **Squirtle: Water Gun, Water Pulse, Withdraw, Rapid Spin, Headbutt, Protect, Scald.**_


	12. Steels of Saffron

**Response to Reviews:**

 **UltimateCCC: Yup.**

 **Guest: Thanks bro.**

 **Guest: Who said that it doesn't become a pairing later on? I'm just saying that there are no plans of romance or love right now. They're ten years old, for God's sake. And you want all that stuff incorporated at this exact moment. I can say, unfortunately, that it's your brain that is retarded.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.**

Xxx

 **Leaf & Saffron!**

After three weeks of battling and training, Ash finally reached the Pokémon Center outside Rock Tunnel. "Here we are." He exhaled. "Rock Tunnel." Ash entered the Pokémon center, wanting a day's rest before beginning his training inside the tunnel.

"Welcome to the Pokémon Center. How may I help you?" Nurse Joy asked Ash brightly. Ash smiled, handing over his pokéball.

"I would like to get my Pokémon a checkup. Also, I would like to book a room for the night." Nurse Joy smiled brightly and, taking his pokéballs and pokedex, registered him.

"Here you go. Your room number is C-5." Ash nodded and walked upstairs, the place rooms were. Ash collapsed on the bed as soon as he entered it, spent from the long travel from Cerulean City to here.

' _Tomorrow.'_ Ash thought. _'Tomorrow we'll start our training.'_ Ash had a lot of plans for the training. He had been planning them throughout the travel.

His team needed work.

And not just in battling.

Xxx

Cynthia and Gary had reached Saffron after one and a half week. Cynthia had to admit. She had misjudged Gary. Spending time with him was not all that bad.

After a few days, Gary had returned back to his normal state and wasn't as protective of her. That meant his egoistical attitude and smugness had returned. Though it wasn't as overbearing as before.

"I'm more interested in being a Pokémon Researcher." Cynthia told Gary as they passed the city Gate. "Just I don't want to be confined in a Pokémon Lab all my life and instead do field work."

"Me too." Gary told the blonde. "I want to fill in my Grandfather's footsteps but find it boring. That's why I'm focusing more on being a Champion first."

"Same." Cynthia replied. "Just not the Champion part. I'm not that interested in running a whole region. Too much responsibility."

"Being a Champion is not everyone's cup of tea." Gary smirked. "Especially nerds." He teased. Cynthia puffed her cheeks in annoyance. Gary poked her right cheek with his index finger.

Cynthia grabbed his finger and pulled it down. "Yeah well, this nerd defeated you in a one-on-one battle." Cynthia retorted.

"Beginner's Luck my child." He taunted with a sly smile. "You won't win our next fight anyway."

"Whatever helps you sleep." Cynthia shot back. The two reached the Pokémon Center.

"Gary! Cynthia!" The blonde and brunette turned at the familiar voice, and their eyes widened at the sight of their childhood friend Leaf.

"Leaf!" Gary exclaimed. The slender, chestnut haired girl ran forward and hugged him in greeting. She then hugged Cynthia too.

"Pleasant surprise seeing you two here." She commented. "Wait, are you travelling together?" She exclaimed in surprise.

"Nope." Cynthia spoke up before Gary could make a sly remark. "He was accompanying me till Saffron only."

"She was scared alone." Gary added with a sly smirk. "So, I decided to help her."

"Haha, very funny." Leaf said, punching his shoulder playfully. "How about we catch up after grabbing a bite to eat? I'm starving."

"Sure."

Xxx

"So, how many badges you have?" Leaf questioned them. Cynthia held up two fingers in response. She looked at Gary who responded likewise. "Too bad for you! I have three!"

"Oh. The Slowpoke is speeding up." Gary smirked. Cynthia, ignoring his small dig, looked at the brunette.

"What's the third one? The first two must be Boulder and Cascade." Cynthia asked curiously.

"Rainbow. Erika was a piece of cake." Leaf grinned. Cynthia pursed her lips in thought.

"I was planning to challenge her next. Any piece of advice?" She inquired.

"Just make sure to be prepared for status ailments and traps." Leaf shrugged. "She doesn't have much firepower so you can punch through with a Fire Type or Flying Type."

"Ok." Cynthia swallowed that. "Erika seems pretty easy."

"She is." Leaf replied. "She's only Nineteen years old. Lacks the experience her Dad had in gym battling."

"That's one young age for such a responsibility." Gary cut in. "I'm going to challenge Lt. Surge first." The two girls looked at him in surprise. "Erika is easy. I want a challenge."

"Good luck with that confidence." Leaf replied after a moment. "I'm going to challenge him next too. But after some training." She turned to Cynthia again. "What about Ash? Weren't you two travelling together?"

Cynthia froze at the question. They hadn't told Leaf about the incident yet, have they? "I-" Cynthia choked a bit.

"They had a fight." Gary intervened. Cynthia looked at him in surprise. "They decided to split up. He's in Rock Tunnel training while Cynthia decided to come to Saffron."

"Really?" Leaf asked, not believing that. "Ash doesn't seem like the type to argue or fight with someone, especially you." She eyed the blonde.

"Wait. What do you mean by _especially_ me?"

"The argument was over a petty matter." Gary carried on. "Cynthia wanted to come to Saffron, he wanted to go to Rock Tunnel. So they split."

"That simple?" Both nodded. "Well, if you want, I can give him a piece of my mind the next time I see him." Cynthia shook her head.

"Nah, we're cool." The blonde told him. Leaf shrugged and decided to finish her burger. Cynthia shot a grateful look to the spiky haired boy who simply inclined his head.

' _Never expected Gary to bail me out on such matters.'_ Cynthia thought. _'Eh, I should get used to that.'_

"I originally wanted to do the same thing." Gary added to Leaf. "Leaving Cynthia alone for his selfish desires." Leaf looked at him. "It doesn't suit him at all. Maybe I _will_ have a talk with him when we next meet about this."

"Whoa big guy." Leaf interrupted. "No need to fight with him. What's done is done."

"It isn't his fault Gary." Cynthia began. "I could've accompanied him to Rock Tunnel instead. We're both at fault here." Cynthia knew what he was saying. Gary blamed Ash a bit for her current condition.

"Moving on," Leaf began. "Have you explored Saffron City?" The two looked at her.

"We just arrived here blabbermouth." Gary replied. Leaf shot him an angry look.

"Wanna explore?" She asked. Cynthia thought about it. They had just arrived and could use some rest. But, she wanted to catch up with Leaf too.

"Sure." Cynthia responded.

"I'll rather rest for a while." Gary said. "I'm tired from Route 5."

"Suit yourself." Leaf got up. "Let's go." Cynthia finished her juice and got up. "See you later Gare-bear."

"Ok Blabbermouth." That promptly earned him a smack on his head.

Xxx

"So, what do we have to explore?" Cynthia asked Leaf. Leaf passed her a grin at that.

"Oh, tons!" She showed her a Tourist Guide. "We can go see the Fighting Dojo, Contest Hall, the famous Kyle's Noodle Shop, and The Pokémon Fan Club etc."

"Whoa. That's a lot of stuff." Cynthia exclaimed. Leaf passed her a cheeky grin.

"That's not all." She boasted. "There's the Magnet Station about to be built. It will get you to Goldenrod in Johto in about two days. But it isn't built yet. And…" She read the Tourist Guide. "There's this Mr. Psychic who can read minds and helps you fight your inner demons something."

' _Could use a visit to him.'_ Cynthia thought.

"And last but not the least, there's the Silph Co Tour. We can go there if you want too." Cynthia chewed her lips in thought. "Where should we go first?"

"Let's go to the Contest Hall first." Cynthia said. "We'll plan from there."

"Okey dokey." Leaf mock saluted her. The two girls made their way to the Contest Hall.

Xxx

"It's dark." Ash commented as he made his way through Rock Tunnel. On his shoulder, Zeus provided some much wanted light. "You should learn Flash Zeus. It's nice to disorient enemies."

Zeus nodded. He'll learn it in Rock Tunnel hopefully. The duo of Pokémon found a proper camping sight after a bit of exploring and Ash called his team out.

"This is a nice place to camp on." Ash stretched. "Guys, warm up. We're going to begin training." His team nodded and spread around. Ash looked around, mentally planning his camp.

It was a place a bit away from the main path. Ash did it that way so no trainer could stumble upon him.

Not everyone loved to play fair.

In fifteen minutes Ash had setup everything crucial. That included his tent, a bonfire with a boundary made of rocks, and some rocks as target practice. His team had warmed up by then too.

"Ok then." He took off his jacket. "Zeus and Bulbasaur, you're sparring. No holding back." The two walked away a bit away from the campsite, enough to be in eyesight but far enough so no stray attacks could hit anyone accidently.

"Mystic, you're practicing Take Down on those rocks." Ash gestured to a few boulders. "I want it down by tonight. Okay?" Mystic nodded and ran off for her training. "Oceanus, start working on Hydro Pump. You've got enough stamina and experience for it. I know it's hard so take your time. Don't overstretch yourself."

Oceanus nodded and set off for his own training. Ash looked at Viper who was waiting for her own command. "Viper, we're going to go look for potential teammates."

Ash had sent Skylar to Professor Oak to make room for new teammates. The Pidgeotto had refused at first, but after a bit of coaxing and promise that he'll call her back soon, she grudgingly agreed.

Skylar had no use in Rock Tunnel anyway. It was dark and way different from her natural habitat. The Pidgeotto needed open air for dexterity and training, something Rock Tunnel lacked.

Viper shrugged and followed him.

Xxx

"It's so beautiful." Cynthia exclaimed in awe. They were standing in front of the entrance and the blonde was entranced. The Contest Hall had beautiful, pristine, long arches that showed the architectural skills.

The gate was made of polished wood with golden outlines and designs. In short, it was pretty elegant. The duo of rookies entered the contest hall, and was surprised by the beauty.

The hall was ornamented by portraits of successful Top Coordinators. "All these are Coordinators who have won the Grand Festival." Leaf told Cynthia. "You can say this is their hall of fame."

"Nice." Cynthia replied. She paused suddenly. "May Maple?" Cynthia's eyes widened reading the name. She looked up and found the brunette's smiling face.

She was dressed in an Arabic-themed pearl-pink veil which had a green gem at the top, pink top with saffron borders and heart on the chest area, lilac-purple skirt, saffron-colored necklace with a red heart-shaped gem, pink fabric in her waist, and brown flip-flop shoes with toe rings. She looked very beautiful.

"You know her?" Leaf asked Cynthia curiously.

"Yeah! I met her in Vermillion Forest. We travelled to Cerulean City together." Cynthia told Leaf. "She never told me she's a Top Coordinator." Cynthia muttered.

"She must be very skilled." Leaf commented. The blonde nodded.

"She helped Ash develop a fighting style for his Pidgeotto." Cynthia replied.

"I'll love to meet her someday." Leaf wished. Cynthia passed her a smile.

"She's participating in Indigo League. You can meet her there. Possibly even battle her." Cynthia added.

"I can't wait!" Leaf exclaimed. The two carried on in the hall, eventually reaching the desk.

"Hello there." The receptionist greeted. "How can I help you?"

"We want to see the Art Library." Leaf replied.

"Give me your Pokedex please." Grabbing Cynthia's black-golden and Leaf's mint green, she typed something and registered them. Handing them their pokedex back, she smiled brightly. "Hope you enjoy your stay."

"We will." The two began to head forwards.

"Why do I get the feeling you have already been here?" Cynthia asked Leaf, a small smile on her face.

"Who said I haven't?" Leaf asked. "I'm in Saffron from the last few days. Of course I have done quite the exploring."

"Tell me about the Fighting Dojo then." Cynthia told the chestnut-haired girl.

"If you complete the challenge they present, then you can select a Fighting Type from their possession." She whispered.

"And why didn't you tell me that before?" Cynthia asked. Leaf shrugged.

"You would've headed straight to there then." Leaf answered.

"I don't have any Pokémon on me at the moment." Cynthia retorted. A sinking feeling introduced itself inside her at that.

 _No Pokémon…_

 _Please don't hurt me._

"But I have." Leaf grinned cheekily. The sinking feeling lessened at that. "C'mon now!" She grabbed her hand and pulled her faster. Cynthia shook the feeling off her and focused on the Art Gallery.

Yup, she could use the visit to the Psychic.

Xxx

"See anything Viper?" Ash questioned the Grass Snake on his shoulder, able to see courtesy of his flashlight. The Snivy shook her head. She was unable to spot anyone yet.

Did he really have to expand his team further? Viper had a bit of a hard time adjusting to them and only now she was comfortable enough. A new teammate was all sorts of trouble.

But it was her trainer's choice in the end. Who was she to argue? Besides, if she felt hostile or uncomfortable, she could just leave. The option was still open, right?

Would she, though? Would she let a new Pokémon take her position in Ash's team? Viper sighed. Her mind was in mess regarding Ash again.

"Everything okay Viper?" Ash questioned. Viper nodded. They had been exploring for about half an hour now. Where were all the Pokémon? "I think we should return for now." Viper nodded. Now he was talking sensibly.

The duo of trainers returned back to their campsite and sat down. Ash looked at the training his Pokémon were undergoing and smiled. "Well, Viper. You can go practice Mega Drain." Viper nodded and walked off.

Ash sat down comfortably, fishing out his pokedex. He had made a few notes on the device for training in Rock Tunnel and was going through them.

After some consideration, Ash had decided against teaching Viper Iron Tail and instead searched for other moves. He wanted to teach her Leaf Tornado. It was similar to Leaf Storm, only that it didn't reduce attack power. However, its accuracy was less than the former too.

Mystic had almost learned Take Down so he cut that pointer. Only Double Edge remained for the time being. Zeus had yet to master Discharge and Wild Charge. Both were similar in nature, requiring large amounts of energy.

In Discharge, he discharged said energy all over the place while in Wild Charge, he focused it to form a coat. If Zeus could master Wild Charge, he could learn both Discharge, and the infamous Volt Tackle.

Oceanus was learning Hydro Pump. Ash had no way of teaching him Ice Beam at the moment. Cynthia's Buizel could have taught him that, but that bridge had been burnt. The only option right now was TM. Only problem was that they were available in Celadon City.

Bulbasaur was going to learn Power Whip and Stun Spore/Sleep Powder. Ash wanted him to combine the three status afflicting moves for some neat tricks.

Ash knew he was focusing more on training his Pokémon ever since the incident at the Hidden Village. He had begun to ignore them a bit.

That wasn't helpful.

Ash sighed. He'll deal with it the first moment he got. Right now, they were training.

And training they did the entire day.

Xxx

"That was some pretty skillful art." Cynthia told Leaf as they were exiting.

"Yup." Leaf agreed. "Where are we going to go next?"

"Let's go do some Window Shopping." Cynthia suggested. "It's been a while since I've done that."

"You did that in Cerulean with Ash." Leaf reminded.

"How do you know that?" Cynthia asked in surprise.

"You gave his Mom a Water Stone Sculpture as a Birthday gift, remember?" Leaf reminded. "When I delivered my gift too, Professor Oak told me about that."

"Oh." Cynthia said. "What did you give her?" Leaf smiled.

"I gifted her perfume from Celadon City." Cynthia stared at the slender girl at that.

"You were in Celadon City at that time?" She asked in surprise. Leaf shook her head.

"My Mom used to work in Erika's Perfume Brand, remember?" Leaf winked. "I asked her to pull some strings and gifted her perfume from my own money. So, it is my gift."

"Oh." Cynthia exclaimed. "Hey, I meant to ask. Did you get your hair done in Celadon or somewhere? They're different from what I remember them."

"Yup." Leaf winked. "There's this lane known as Scissor Street in Celadon City. A Pokémon Breeder who works part time at a Salon designed my hair because I let her see my Ivysaur. You should go there too. She'll beautify your hair pretty nicely."

"I'll think about it." Cynthia responded idly. The two girls began their window shopping.

 _45 minutes later…_

"Saffron has pretty nice merchandise." The blonde commented. "I'll shop here someday."

"Let's check the Noodle Shop now." Leaf told her. "I can't wait to grab some!"

"Glad to see your foodie side hasn't died yet." Cynthia commented. Leaf shrugged and opened her tourist guide.

"C'mon. It ain't that far!" The slender girl grabbed her wrist and pulled her through some streets. Cynthia shook her head behind her amusedly. Glad to see Leaf hadn't changed.

"Here it is." Leaf exclaimed after a few minutes. Cynthia eyed the entrance. It wasn't anything special, just a simple brown building with a board on the top saying 'Kyle Hamm's Noodle Shop'.

The two entered the shop and were greeted by the Manager. "Table for two?" Leaf nodded. "Follow me please." Moments later, they were sitting on chairs, facing towards each other.

"So, what really happened between you and Ash?" Leaf asked. The blonde felt a bit uncomfortable.

"Just what I told you Leaf." Cynthia replied with a small smile. "It's all chill now."

"If you say so." Leaf replied, shrugging and brushing some hair out of her face. Their order came by then.

"Enjoy." The waiter told them. Leaf nodded.

"We will." She giggled making Cynthia crack a wider smile. The two began eating their food. Cynthia couldn't help but laugh a bit at Leaf's eating habits.

Despite her gentle, ladylike appearance, Leaf was far from that. She was easily more talkative than anyone else in their crew, she was a big foodie, and her speed of eating was outmatched.

Not that Cynthia thought any less of her. She preferred her just as she was. No need to change anyone.

"What are you thinking?" Leaf asked, breaking her out of her train of thoughts. "Eat up! That noodle won't finish itself."

"I know." Cynthia said, tasting her noodles. Her expression lit up at the taste. "They're really delicious." She smiled.

"They're famous for a reason." Leaf replied. Cynthia ate her noodles at a leisure pace, savoring the taste, while Leaf ordered another for herself.

"We should take parcel for Gary too." Cynthia said suddenly. Leaf looked at Cynthia like she had seen an alien. "What?"

"Who are you and what have you done to the Cynthia I know?" Leaf asked amusedly. "I never thought the day Cynthia thought about Gary would come. You hated him with a passion!"

"People change." Cynthia answered. "Besides, I never hated him. I just disliked him." Leaf snorted with laughter.

"Can you parcel one please?" Leaf asked. The waiter nodded and walked away. The two finished their noodles and got up, accepting the parcel.

"I'm paying." Cynthia interjected before Leaf could open her mouth. The duo, after giving the payment, walked out. Cynthia wrinkled her nose at the pollution made it known.

"After so long in the clean air, its suck to be in a city, right?" Leaf questioned. Cynthia nodded. "So, where to next?"

"To the Pokémon Center." Cynthia replied. "I'm tired and would like to rest a bit."

"Okay then." The two made way to the Pokémon Center. "I'll give this to Gary." Leaf told Cynthia on the stairs. The blonde nodded and retired to her room.

She collapsed on her bed. It was evening and she had eaten too. A little bit of extra rest wouldn't hurt.

She just hoped her nightmares won't return.

Xxx

"That's enough for today guys." Ash told his team. They cheered and collapsed on their spots. "Hey guys." Ash began. "I know we have amped the training up quite a bit and haven't spent much time together at all."

"So, I say we don't train tomorrow." His Pokémon looked at him in surprise. "Let's just relax for a day. A good trainer is not who wins the most battles, but one that knows his Pokémon. What do you say? We do that?"

The majority agreed. Only Viper didn't respond to that. "Then it's settled. We're relaxing tomorrow! Take some rest right now, I'm serving food."

Xxx

"You're leaving so soon?" Cynthia asked Gary in surprise. The brunette nodded.

"I need to catch some more Pokémon and train them too. Plus, the Gym Badges need to be collected too." Gary replied. "I'll most probably collect most of them and then take some time to train."

"That makes sense." Cynthia nodded. "Okay then." Gary zipped his bag and got up. "See you next time then blondie."

"Good luck for our next battle." Cynthia teased. "Hopefully it'll be a closer match."

"Ha ha, laugh it up." Gary retorted. "You won't laugh like this the next time we meet that's for sure."

"Dreaming in daylight." Cynthia chuckled. Their friendly banter was interrupted as Leaf entered the room.

"So, Gare Bear decided to make a move." Leaf commented.

"So, blabbermouth decided to show up." Gary taunted. Leaf punched him in return. "I'm leaving for Vermillion. See you two girlies later."

"Where do you get these terms from?" Leaf asked.

"From my brain, something you don't have." Gary replied. Cynthia shook her head at their antics. "See you two later." Gary left the room, leaving only Cynthia and Leaf.

"So, what's your plan?" Leaf asked Cynthia. The blonde shrugged.

"I'm staying in Saffron for a little while." She replied. "Then I'll head for Celadon. You?"

"Leaving for Lavender Town today." Leaf answered. "I need a Ghost Type. Then it's battle against Lt. Surge."

"Good Luck." Cynthia told her. "His monster of a Raichu is tough to beat."

"I have a strategy." Leaf grinned.

"And that is?"

"Restrain him and let Ivysaur pummel him into a pulp."

"You scare me sometimes."

"That's my battle style. Brute force." Leaf shrugged.

"When are you leaving?" The blonde questioned.

"Right now." Cynthia stared at her in surprise. "Route 8 is famous for Ghosts because it connects to Lavender Town. Also, it has a lot of graveyards."

"Due to the Poke-Plague, right?" Leaf nodded.

"Anyway, I'm off now. Enjoy your stay in Saffron." Leaf told her.

"Can't you stay for a few more days?" Cynthia asked in a small voice. Leaf shook her head.

"I'm in Saffron for the past week Cynthia." Leaf replied sadly.

"I understand." Leaf smiled. The blonde hugged her childhood friend goodbye. Leaf took her belongings and left the Pokémon Center. Cynthia sighed once she was alone and contemplated her plans.

Her original plan was to stay in Saffron with Leaf and explore some more. But now that the girl was gone, she had to reconsider it. _'I can give a visit to that Psychic who lives here and then leave for Celadon City.'_

A new plan made, Cynthia got up. She could explore later on. Besides, she had to return to Saffron to reach Vermillion anyway. The blonde got up.

' _Time to make a move.'_

Xxx

"Here we are." Cynthia breathed deeply. She was standing in front of the house, a simple one story home. Pretty basic. Cynthia raised her knuckle and rapped against the door.

She waited for a few moments to no avail. "Maybe he isn't home." She mumbled. As she raised her knuckle again, the door opened. Cynthia stumbled back, startled.

"Cynthia Carolina." The psychic called. "Come inside my child." Cynthia entered the house wearily, looking at the lone person sitting in the room.

The door closed behind her. Cynthia's head whipped behind her. She heard a chuckle and looked at the man. He was an old man with a long, deep beard. He wore a dark cloak which hid most of his body.

Cynthia placed a hand over her heart, breathing deeply to control her fast beating heart. "My child, you have finally come to see me."

"How do you know me?" Cynthia asked, trying to control her shaky voice.

"I've been seeing you ever since you entered Saffron City." He grinned. "The last few days have not been polite on you I assume?" Cynthia thought of a good reply to that. She didn't find any.

"Can you help me?" Cynthia asked the bearded man. The Psychic shook his head.

"Only you and you alone, can properly defeat your demons." He replied. "I can help you accelerate the process a bit but that's all I can do."

Cynthia sighed. That wasn't what she expected at all. "So, there's nothing you can do?"

"I can help bring the problem in front of you." He corrected. "But it's on you how to handle it."

"Then help me do it." She cut to the chase. The Psychic nodded and gestured her towards him. Cynthia walked forward, closing the distance between them. He gestured her to sit, which she did.

"I need you to look into my eyes." Cynthia did as he asked, looking into his surprisingly enchanting eyes. The Psychic grabbed her cheeks and locked gazes.

Cynthia stared for a few moments, and then a myriad of thoughts hit her. Cynthia wanted to pull away, but the Psychic's grip on her stopped her from doing so.

Cynthia's form slumped as the last of the thoughts hit. The Psychic pulled back, giving her some personal space. Cynthia placed her palms on the ground for support.

"That's all I can do." The Psychic smiled. Cynthia nodded, wiping some sweat from her forehead.

"Thanks." Cynthia replied breathily. "How much-" The Psychic held up his hand.

"No need." Cynthia nodded and stayed down for a few more moments before getting up.

"I know my problems properly now," Cynthia told him. "Any piece of advice or wisdom on how I can solve them?"

"Give it time." He replied. "The solution will come running to you if you do so." Cynthia nodded.

"Thanks." Cynthia dipped her head in acknowledgement and walked outside. The blonde walked back to the Pokémon center to fetch her backpack and then leave for Celadon.

No need wasting time.

Xxx

"Enjoying Mystic?" Ash asked his Starter. The Eevee yipped in enjoyment as Ash ran a comb through her fur. The Evolution Pokémon had been offered one by her trainer and boy would she deny!

Ash reached all the places she had difficulty reaching. Plus, she could relax while her fur sorted itself. Plus, she had time to talk to Ash too. Ash didn't talk too much nowadays. He was more focused on training.

That's why it was a good decision to put down training today. They could focus and catch up. Viper and Bulbasaur were off chatting, Zeus was with Oceanus, asking him about past experiences.

While she had Ash all by herself.

"If I didn't know better, I would joke that you'll evolve into an Espeon in the cave." Ash joked. "Or would it be Umbreon? Since we're in a Dark Cave?"

Mystic shrugged. She didn't care either way. She was happy being an Eevee for the time being. "Did you think on what you evolve into?" Ash questioned his starter.

Mystic shook her head. She didn't want to evolve at the moment and made it clear to Ash. "Off course dear, you can evolve whenever you want. No pressure." Ash assured her. "Or not evolve at all if you want to. I don't mind."

Mystic nodded and nuzzled deeper into Ash's lap. Ash chuckled at the ball of fur that was his Eevee and ran his fingers through her fur. That was what he missed after leaving Cerulean. Spending time with his Pokémon.

Ash saw a yellow blur approach him and smiled. Zeus reached him within seconds and scampered up his shoulder, sending stray sparks in the air.

"Hey Zeus." Ash greeted. Zeus squealed and nuzzled him in response. "Where's Oceanus?" Zeus gestured towards the Seadra with his tail. The Dragon Pokémon had just pranked Viper and the Grass Snake was glaring at him.

Mystic lifted her head from Ash's lap to look at the scene and smirked when Oceanus found himself to be at the receiving end of her Vine Whips.

Despite his big, scary appearance, Oceanus was a prankster at heart. Ash liked that part about him. Oceanus could be a prankster as well as a skilled battler when the situation desired for it.

Though Ash could understand Viper's expression. He himself wasn't fond of Oceanus's pranks. Boy did he hate it when that Seadra woke him with Bubble Beam…

Speaking about Viper, it was one of the qualities Ash admired about her. That was holding back. The Grass Snake could easily keep her emotions in check. Though her anger right now was justified.

Oceanus could use a few every now and then.

"What did he do?" Ash asked Zeus with an amused look. The mouse shrugged, though there was a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Don't tell me you helped him with the prankster?"

Zeus shrugged innocently. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. "What do you think? Is Viper growing up on us or she'll bail on us mid-way?" Mystic looked at him at that. She yipped her answer. "Nothing's confirmed yet that she'll stay with us. Sometimes I think she's barely tolerating us."

Mystic looked at him chidingly but Zeus replied that she did do that. Mystic yipped sadly. Ash scratched behind her ear soothingly. "What do you say Zeus?"

The Pikachu shrugged. He didn't know, though a small part inside him wished she wouldn't leave. The Electric Type had come to actually like Viper and she had grown on him, not literally though.

"We'll ask her after we reach Lavender Town." Ash told them. "Then it's her choice. Kay?" They nodded. "How long do you say we should stay in Rock Tunnel?"

Mystic yipped her response. Zeus agreed with her. "Three weeks?" They nodded. "Okay then. I think that's enough time to train anyway. Did you find any Aron or Pokémon I told you about Zeus?"

The Electric Type shook his head. Yesterday, he had befriended a wild Sandshrew and chatted with him a bit. When asked that whether he would like to join the team, the Sandshrew had declined, saying it liked its life in the Rock Tunnel.

Zeus had asked him about the whereabouts of wild Aron and Cubone. The Sandshrew had replied that they'll find them in the deeper levels. However, the Pokémon there didn't like humans much and it was a bit risky to venture there.

Ash had made the decision that they would stay at a campsite for a few days and then travel forward. Then, again they'll make camp and repeat the process. They had agreed.

"Guess we'll have to go deeper." The Electric Type nodded. "You want a grooming service too?" Ash asked. Zeus smirked a bit at the name. Mystic jumped off Ash's lap, making space for the Electric Mouse.

Ash began grooming him, ignoring the mild static that ran up his fingers. He'll feel numb for a while but then it'll settle. "I should offer this to the others too. They'll appreciate it."

Mystic yipped that it was a big understatement. "I doubt Viper would appreciate it. Pretty sure about the others though." Mystic shrugged and curled up beside him, feeling drowsy.

And it's a good time to end the chapter!

Xxx

 **Did you like the chapter? Disliked it? Tell me why in the reviews! Also, how did you like Leaf and Gary? Did I do them justice, or can I do better? We'll delve deeper into their characters in the coming chapter down the road!**

 **No guesses about Cynthia's egg yet. Are you guys sleeping or what? It's so easy! R &R! Bye for now!**

 _ **Ash's Team:**_

 _ **Eevee (Mystic): Quick Attack, Sand Attack, Shadow Ball. Dig. Iron Tail. Double Team, Swift, Bite, Take Down. (Detect)**_

 _ **Pikachu (Zeus): Thunder Bolt, Nasty Plot, Thunder Wave, Iron Tail, Dig, Double Team, Feint, Nuzzle, Charge. (Volt Tackle)**_

 _ **Seadra (Oceanus): Water Gun, Water Pulse, Tackle, Smokescreen, Agility, Bubble Beam, Whirlpool, Twister, Scald.**_

 _ **Snivy (Viper): Vine Whip, Leer, Leaf Storm, Slam, Swords Dance, and Leaf Blade, Mega Drain. (Grassy Terrain)**_

 _ **Bulbasaur: Tackle, Poison Powder, Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Energy Ball, Mega Drain, Protect.**_

 **In Lab:**

 _ **Pidgeotto (Skylar): Tackle, Quick Attack, Gust, Sand Attack, Aerial Ace, Steel Wing, and Double Team. (Sky Attack)**_

 _ **Cynthia's Team:**_

 _ **Braixen: Scratch, Hypnosis, Ember, Flame Burst, Quick Attack, Flame Charge, Howl, Bite. (Heat Wave).**_

 _ **Nidorino:**_ _ **Tackle, Poison Sting, Confusion, Double Kick, Fury Attack, Peck, Focus Energy.**_

 _ **Roselia: Mega Drain, Growth, Poison Sting, Magical Leaf, Leech Seed, Synthesis, Energy Ball.**_

 _ **Buizel: Water Gun, Sonic Boom, Ice Punch, Ice Beam, Vacuum Wave, Aqua Jet, Ice Fang, Scald.**_

 _ **Squirtle: Water Gun, Water Pulse, Withdraw, Rapid Spin, Headbutt, Protect, Scald.**_


	13. Colors Of Celadon

**Responses to reviews are at the end! Also, I've decided not to put the Pokémon list at the end of every chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.**

 **Xxx**

 **Colors of Celadon!**

Cynthia had left Saffron City the day she visited the Psychic. The blonde wanted to get away from the polluted air of Saffron as soon as possible and had enjoyed the wild.

Now, after two weeks of travelling, the blonde reached Celadon City, the "City of Rainbow Dreams". She had a Gym Leader in her crosshairs, Erika.

She had done some research on the Gym Leaders during her travels, and had developed a few strategies, mainly revolving around Braixen and Nidorino. The latter could use some Gym Battling Experience anyway.

Cynthia decided to start her day, and got out of her room. All ready for her Gym Battle. She headed down the stairs, collected her Pokémon from Nurse Joy, and walked out.

' _After this battle, I'll go to the Celadon Departmental Store.'_ Cynthia thought. _'I can use some TMs now. Then, I can relax for a bit and plan my next move.'_ Celadon City was famous due to its Celadon Departmental Store and the Celadon Game Corner.

The Celadon Game Corner was like a casino where you earned points and used them to buy prizes. Cynthia considered visiting it after the Departmental Store.

She reached the Celadon Gym, shaped like a Gloom. Cynthia knew a bit about the Gym Leader and her preferred Pokémon. She liked to battle passively, opting for status ailments and traps instead of a head-on approach.

That's why the blonde had chosen Nidorino and Braixen for this Gym Battle. Nidorino had enough raw power to hopefully overpower Erika and Braixen had her Type Advantage. The third choice was Buizel. He had yet to debut in a Gym Battle anyway.

The blonde had juggled with the idea of visiting the Departmental Store first and then battle Erika. The upside to this was that she'll be more prepared due to the TMs she planned to buy.

The downside, and the very reason she decided to battle Erika first, was due to low funds. The blonde had spent a lot in Cerulean City and while she had plenty left, they were not enough for the TMs.

TMs, short for Technical Machines, were circular packets of information that contained the information for particular moves. The League had researched intensively prior to their creation.

All Cynthia needed to teach a difficult or time consuming move to one of her Pokémon was to buy a TM, insert it in TM case, place the pokéball, and begin the process.

The selected pokémon would be able to use the move then. A few tries a bit of practice was recommended to master the use of the move so it could be utilized without any issues.

All this efficiency came at a pricey cost, literally. One-use TMs price varied. Simple moves, like Return, had a comparatively lower price as compared to Blizzard or Hyper Beam.

Multi-use TMs, which could be used more than once, cost about a thousand pokecash. Pricey, but efficient. Cynthia wanted to buy the Multi-use versions of the TMs.

But for that, she'll have to defeat Erika first. Once she did, the prize money would be enough for her to buy the TMs.

Cynthia reached the Gym, a large building formed like a Gloom, most likely due to Erika's favorite being said Pokémon. The blonde entered the gym, heading straight towards the receptionist.

"Hello there." The receptionist greeted cheerily. "Would you like to try our perfume? We have a large range of perfumes, ranging from natural smells to special fragrances."

"Actually, I'm here for a Gym Battle." Cynthia replied apologetically.

"Oh." The receptionist pressed a button on her desk and picked up a phone lying on it. "Erika, there's a Challenger." She put the phone down and smiled at the blonde. "Can I get your ID please?"

"Sure." The blonde replied, handing over her black and golden pokedex. The receptionist quickly registered her up and handed it back.

"Just head down the corridor. You'll find the arena." Cynthia nodded and walked in the pointed direction. She quickly found the arena and entered inside.

The blonde had expected the battlefield to favor the Gym Leader in some way like in Cerulean and Pewter. Though her doubt had been proved, it was surprising.

The battlefield was a grassy plain expanse. The blonde did not know how the grass favored Erika or her Grass Types. Usually, the advantage was clear as day.

For example, the Cerulean Gym had water to provide more mobility to any Water Type and pose a nice challenge. Maybe the grassy field relaxed the Grass Types and helped them fight more efficiently?

"Hello there Challenger." Cynthia was greeted. She looked up and saw the Gym Leader Erika standing opposite her, dressed in an elegant kimono. Everything about her excluded grace and made Cynthia feel a bit self-conscious.

"Hello Erika." The blonde replied. A middle aged man, no doubt one who worked at Erika's Perfume Shop, took the place as the referee.

"The battle between Gym Leader Erika and Cynthia Carolina of Pallet Town is about to begin! Each side will use three Pokémon and the battle will be over when one side is out of usable Pokémon! Only the challenger can substitute Pokémon!"

"To a good battle." Erika told Cynthia. The blonde nodded. "Let's go Tangela!" A round bundle of seaweed like vines came out and hopped on one foot to another excitedly.

Cynthia gripped Nidorino's pokéball. The Poison Type had dibs on Erika and she wouldn't argue. "Nidorino! Battle Dance!" The Poison Pin Pokémon appeared, roaring at Erika.

He glared intimidatingly at Tangela, potent poison dripping from his horn to further solidify his fear. Tangela didn't seem to care, however, and kept bouncing playfully.

"Begin!" Nidorino immediately focused himself with Focus Energy, awaiting Cynthia's next command. Tangela, likewise, used Growth per Erika's command.

"Poison Sting now!" Cynthia commanded. Nidorino lowered his horn and fired tiny needles of potent toxin towards Tangela.

"Power Whip Tangela." The Vine Pokémon flipped excitedly and a few of its vines raced forwards, hitting the needles and whacking them out of their path.

"Poison Jab!" Nidorino roared and charged Tangela. Erika smiled gracefully at that.

"Restrain him." Tangela threw his vines forward, wrapping around the charging Nidorino's body and pulling his legs out from under him. Nidorino crashed down and struggled against the vines, thrashing wildly. "Mega Drain."

"Focus Energy into Confusion Nidorino!" Cynthia ordered. Nidorino focused his attention again and his eyes got a pinkish tint. Tangela felt a psychic assault on himself and his grip loosened a bit. "Now Poison Sting!"

"Don't let him escape Tangela." Erika ordered. "Use Shock Wave and then Slam!"

"Shock Wave?!" Cynthia exclaimed in surprise. Nidorino felt current run through his body and growled in pain. Two vines slammed down his face, shutting his Poison Sting up. "Gr." The blonde glared at the Vine Pokémon.

"Slam him down." Tangela's vines tightened around Nidorino. Cynthia stared on in disbelief as her Nidorino was _lifted_ in the air, and then slammed down hard. She had seriously underestimated Tangela's power.

"H-how?" Cynthia uttered in shock. Erika simply smiled.

"You may have thought you could win through brute force, am I right?" Erika asked. Cynthia nodded slowly. "Sad for you, I won't allow that to happen anymore."

Nidorino moaned in pain as Mega Drain sucked more energy out of him. "Nidorino try Confusion!" Cynthia urged. Nidorino focused on Tangela again, using his limited psychic capabilities in an attempt to overcome Tangela.

"Shock Wave dear." Erika commanded. Nidorino's Confusion was cancelled due to the electricity running through his body. "Keep him down Tangela. Take your sweet time." Cynthia looked at the Gym Leader. "Our Challenger seems to have underestimated us."

The blonde felt ashamed at the accusation and looked down. Her mind raced to find a single way to overcome Tangela's vines but all came at a dead end.

"Nidorino…" Cynthia muttered. Nidorino's struggle grew feebler by each passing second.

"Stop Mega Drain Tangela." Erika commanded. Cynthia looked at Erika and found utter disappointment on her face. Tangela stopped and awaited further commands. "I'm getting bored. You have five minutes to figure out a way or I'm ending this."

Cynthia felt her limbs go cold. Erika was challenging her- no, _taunting_ her, to find a way. She clenched her fists and looked at Nidorino. The Poison Type was panting, his struggles having left him tired.

"You can return him if you like." Erika informed her. "Tangela, release him." Tangela released Nidorino and bounced happily on his feet, oblivious to the tension in the gym.

Cynthia's hand quivered as she considered Erika's leniency. Returning Nidorino? Should she? Nidorino was having a tough time against Tangela anyway and all of his moves were kind of useless.

Cynthia grabbed Nidorino's pokéball. "Nidorino." The blonde called out. "Return for now." Nidorino was called back into his pokéball and the blonde grabbed another pokéball. "Braixen Battle Dance."

Cynthia's starter appeared on the battlefield, giving a challenging look to Erika and Tangela. "Stay alert girl. Our opponent is very tricky."

"You have the first move dear." Erika smiled. "Make it count." Cynthia ignored the jab and ordered a Flamethrower.

Braixen had used Flamethrower accidently in a training session prior arriving in Celadon. Cynthia had made her starter work on the technique.

"Now we're getting serious." Erika laughed. "Protect Tangela." Tangela formed a green barrier around himself that blocked the hot Flamethrower.

"Howl into Quick Attack!" Braixen let out a roar not unlike a fox's howl and rushed towards Tangela, stick in hand. She reached him just as his Protect wore down, and delivered a nice hit with her stick.

Tangela was sent stumbling to the side and Braixen lunged towards him in a Bite. Tangela sent his vines flying towards Braixen and wrapped around her. Braixen's bite narrowly missed Tangela.

"Flamethrower!" Braixen inhaled and unleashed another torrent of flames. Tangela was unable to react in time and was swallowed by it. The vines around Braixen loosened and the Fire Fox cut them off with Scratch.

"Oh my." Erika muttered. Braixen's Flamethrower carried on for a few extra seconds before wearing off. "Power Whip please." Cynthia knew the danger of those vines and reacted accordingly.

"Whack them away with Fire Hit!" Braixen wielded her stick and, the top swallowed in flames, began to bat the vines away. "Create some distance between yourself and Tangela!"

Erika simply watched the exchange. She looked at Cynthia and smiled slightly. "Poor you." She muttered under her breath. Braixen unleashed another Flamethrower, forcing the vines away and almost getting Tangela.

The Grass Type's had quite the amount of burnt vines and that satisfied Cynthia a lot. She looked at Erika who seemed relaxed for someone losing.

Though her head start couldn't exactly be called winning. Not when it was granted due to pity…

"Sunny Day Tangela." Cynthia raised an eyebrow at the move. Erika couldn't be serious. Sunny Day would actually raise Braixen's Firepower. "Now Synthesis."

"Don't let him!" Cynthia hurried. So that was what Erika was planning to do. "Flamethrower again!" Braixen inhaled and unleashed a large amount of flames towards Tangela, boosted by the brighter sun.

"Protect." Cynthia bit her lower lip in frustration as Braixen's powerful Flamethrower was blocked yet again. Tangela quickly healed up since Synthesis was also boosted by Sunny Day.

"What's next Cynthia?" Erika asked tone bored. "Since it's clear you cannot defeat Tangela through force alone." Braixen panted a bit, tired from using Flamethrower so much.

' _Hypnosis is my only option now.'_ The blonde thought. _'But for that, I'll have to get Braixen near him. Risky, but my last resort.'_ Tangela had fully healed by then and was dancing happily.

"I'm waiting." Cynthia snarled, glaring at Erika who smirked back. The blonde felt anger flare up inside her at the smug look on the Gym Leader's face.

Let's see how she'll like it when Tangela was knocked out! "Quick Attack!" Braixen burst forwards, closing in on Tangela quickly. Erika let Braixen hit Tangela and bounce him back.

"Grass Knot." As Braixen was closing in to hit Tangela again, a knot formed at Braixen's feet in the grass. One of her feet got stuck and Braixen slammed down on her face hard. "Power Whip!"

"Fire Hit!" Cynthia urged again. Braixen spotted the Power Whip coming and swung her stick against it. A brief struggle ensued between the vine and the stick.

Braixen clenched her teeth tightly as she used her entire strength against the vine. Her sitting position was making it very hard to win. Another of Tangela's vines flew forward, undetected by Braixen, and smacked her hard.

Braixen's stick was knocked out of her hands and sent flying away. Cynthia stared in disbelief as Tangela began to repeatedly whip Braixen hard.

"Scratch! Then Flame Burst into Flamethrower!" Cynthia ordered. Braixen tried Scratch against the vines, trying to make an opening. Tangela sneakily closed in on the distance between them, using his vines as distractions.

"Constrict." Erika smiled. Cynthia's eyes widened as Tangela wrapped his vines around Braixen. The Fox Pokémon was lifted in the air. "Mega Drain."

Braixen struggled against Tangela, feet kicking wildly. "Flamethrower now!"

"Choke her." Erika commanded simply. As Braixen inhaled, one of Tangela's vines wrapped around her neck and tightened. Braixen let out a gasp and struggled even more.

"Wha…" Cynthia's voice died down in her throat. Erika brushed some hairs out of her eyes and looked at the blonde.

"What's next?" She questioned. "Since it's evident your Braixen cannot fight much longer."

"Hypnosis!" Cynthia ordered. Braixen gathered her remaining willpower and stared into Tangela's eyes hypnotically. A few seconds passed as Braixen tried her best to lull Tangela into sleep.

"Pathetic." Erika shook her head. Cynthia stared in shock at the happenings.

"W-what?!" Cynthia exclaimed. "Why isn't it working?!"

"Leaf Guard." Erika retorted simply. "Blast her with Solar Beam Tangela. Sunny Day first." The sun's intensity returned and Tangela began to quickly gather energy.

"Braixen!" Cynthia hollered in concern. Tangela finished charging his attack and held Braixen at a distance, the Fire Type limp and staring at Tangela with defeated eyes.

"Let it rip." There was a flash, and a huge explosion swallowed the gym. Cynthia was too stunned to react, letting the shockwave blow over her. She fell down on her knees, eyes full of tears.

"I could've ended this way before." Erika called out. "But I wanted to see how this would play out."

"Braixen…" Cynthia muttered. The smoke cleared slowly but eventually. A tear dropped from Cynthia's eye at her starter's condition.

Braixen was still in Tangela's grip, limp and hanging in the air. The damage from the Solar Beam showed around her torso. Tangela placed Braixen down gently and danced happily.

"The Pokémon always has to suffer due to their trainer." Erika said sadly. She returned her Tangela and turned on her heel. "I'm ending this battle. Return when you are actually prepared."

She left the battlefield, leaving only Cynthia and Braixen. The blonde returned her starter and got up. _'No way.'_ The blonde wiped her eyes with her sleeve, composing herself.

She exited the Gym quickly.

Xxx

Cynthia entered her room and, slamming the door behind her, collapsed down, crying. She felt utterly humiliated. _"Pathetic."_ The word in her minds, replaying itself over and over.

"H-how?" The blonde choked. "How did Erika outplay me like that?" She had spent the entire Route 7 preparing for her. One of Erika's lines repeated at that.

" _Take your time Tangela. It seems our opponent has underestimated us."_ Had she? Cynthia pondered on that. Leaf did say Erika was easy to beat through brute force…

Maybe Erika had too much experience with Pokémon with a type advantage against Grass Types? Or maybe Cynthia had battled carelessly? The blonde pondered over the questions for some time, reanalyzing the battle.

Yeah. She had been careless. The blonde didn't show it, but all the victories against trainers had gotten to her head. She had defeated Gary, after all.

Cynthia got up and wiped her eyes. She had been too careless in the fight. She had to remedy that. The blonde walked in the attached bathroom and splashed water on her face.

She stared at herself in the mirror, looking in the reflected grey eyes. She sighed and wiped her face, planning her next move.

She wouldn't leave Celadon before defeating Erika. That was for sure. Her ego would simply not accept it. The blonde would simply train for Erika's Tangela and research on her a bit more.

Then she will crush the Gym Leader and wipe that smug look off her face.

The blonde subconsciously balled her fists at the thought. Yeah, she'll teach that excuse for a gym leader! The blonde exhaled to control her temper.

"I should buy some TMs first." Cynthia decided. She got up and quickly gave her a look over. "This is presentable." Cynthia nodded and walked out of the room.

"How long until Braixen gets healed?" Cynthia questioned Nurse Joy.

"She has taken quite the damage dear." She replied. "It'll take some time before she's ready for training." The blonde nodded.

"Thanks." Cynthia nodded. Nurse Joy smiled back brightly.

"Erika is being exceptionally brutal nowadays in her battles." Nurse Joy told the blonde. "I don't know exactly why but I wish you good luck for the next time."

"Thanks." Cynthia smiled back. "I'll get back at her soon enough." Nurse Joy nodded.

"See that you do." Cynthia left the counter after taking her leave, heading straight for the Departmental Store.

Xxx

The Departmental Store was very large, perhaps the largest store in Kanto. One of the very reasons Celadon was the most populated city in Kanto, surpassing even its skyscraper twin Saffron, was the store.

The Departmental Store had everything one could ask for. Accessories of various brands, both for the wealthy or travelling trainers, supplies for trainers, edible items etc.

Cynthia stared the variety of TMs hung in their own dedicated system. The blonde stared at them, overwhelmed at the diversity. She had expected something like this, but the amount was sheer.

Had she not planned the TMs her team needed, the blonde would have taken a long time. But since she had, the time was lessened. "I could use these." The blonde said, taking the elemental trio of Thunderbolt, Ice Beam, and Flamethrower.

It came at a good deal with a 15% discount for new trainers. The League had done a lot for new trainers so they wouldn't die off in the wild due to their inexperience. Death wasn't something unknown and annually, a lot of rookie trainers died. It just wasn't something discussed in the news or in daily chat.

"Hm." Cynthia said, staring longingly at the Solar Beam TM. Roselia seriously needed some firepower and this would fulfill it. But the TM was pretty expensive and she had limited budget.

After tossing the idea around, Cynthia decided to buy it. Braixen could use it too for coverage. A Sunny Day Solar Beam combo wreaked havoc in battles. Erika was enough evidence.

"That's all I guess." Cynthia said, staring at the four TMs. She gave the remaining TMs a look over and made some future notes. She'll definitely return in the future and buy a few more. As she decided to leave, her eye ran over one particular TM.

Cynthia bit her lip at that. The Normal Type TM hung in its packet peacefully, awaiting its buyer. "I could use that." Cynthia muttered. She needed some defensive moves. "But I already have a lot of TMs."

The blonde had a bit of internal struggle. In the end, she grabbed the TM and put it in her basket. _'Eh, one TM cannot hurt.'_ The blonde shrugged. She turned swift on her feet at that and reached the counter.

The blonde had sufficient supplies left to last her for the journey back to Saffron. The huge amount they had bought at Cerulean wasn't fully spent just yet.

"I'll like to buy the Multi Use ones." Cynthia reminded the cashier. He nodded and ordered an employee to set the TMs as such.

"Your Trainer ID please." Cynthia handed over her pokedex and she quickly made her bill. "You're a rookie." The blonde nodded. "Good for you, you get a nice discount." She winked and handed over the TMs and her Pokedex.

Cynthia's eyes widened a bit at the amount deducted. "Thanks." Cynthia managed and grabbed her Technical Machines. The cashier nodded.

"Do come again." The blonde nodded and made her getaway out of the Departmental Store. The blonde walked straight to the Pokémon Center, putting her expensive new purchases safely in her backpack.

"I don't have much left." Cynthia lamented, checking her remaining pokecash. The amount she got from the trainers on Routes wasn't that high, and she had lost to Erika as well.

Let me tell you a bit about how Pokecash works. Pokecash was the currency of Kanto, similar to how Kalos had its own currency called Kuros. It was transferred in two methods.

The first method was the old way of notes. There were various notes of different amounts, and they were exchanged by hand, unsurprisingly. The method was old, though, and replaced by the second one.

The second method, which Cynthia used, came in the form of Online Transferring. Pokémon Trainers had their ID in the form of the pokedex and the ID could be used in a variety of ways such as containing the money of a trainer.

Robbery and theft wasn't uncommon in the wild. Since Kanto was too large to be patrolled by Pokémon Rangers all the time, trainers had to protect themselves which resulted in a lot of deaths.

And since the amount of money one earned indirectly depended on their skill, many trainers would prefer to steal instead. That's why the League had set the new method up.

Since money was, in a way, stored in a pokedex, which also served as an ID for a particular trainer, the chances of theft had reduced greatly. Due to this advantage, most trainers had set their pokedex in such a way that their money was automatically deducted or added after a battle.

"Oh well. I'll get more after I trash Erika." Cynthia smiled. The blonde nodded enthusiastically at the thought. Oh, she couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she destroyed her and ripped the smug look off her face.

The blonde decided to put the thoughts on the back burner and decided to roam the city a bit. She had a lot of time to pass anyway since her main battlers Braixen and Nidorino were resting.

"I also need to take lunch." Cynthia reminded herself when her stomach growled. First, she'll get lunch and then roam around Celadon. Yup, that sounded about right.

Xxx

"Cynthia?" Nurse Joy called out. The blonde looked up from her vanilla ice cream cone. "There's a phone call for you." The blonde nodded and got up.

The blonde reached the video call and smiled brightly at the face on the opposite end. "Ryan!" She exclaimed. Her childhood friend grinned back.

"Hey Cynth." He greeted. "How's it going?" The blonde licked her ice cream before replying.

"Epic." She replied. "Just challenged Erika." Ryan's eyes lit up.

"Let me guess. You defeated her cleanly? She does have a reputation for being a pushover." Ryan commented. Cynthia's face colored at that.

"Well," She began. "Let's just say I lost and leave it to that." Ryan stared at her in surprise.

"You lost?" He asked. Cynthia nodded. "How?" Cynthia savored the taste of her ice cream again before replying.

"Her fighting style has turned pretty brutal." Cynthia defended herself. "Nurse Joy said that Erika had been pretty hard on the newer challengers. She just doesn't beat them, she… humiliates them."

"Lemme guess, you were _humiliated_ as well?" Ryan asked. The blonde nodded. "How come? Don't tell me that it was a completely one-sided battle." Cynthia's face reddened.

"In my defense," Cynthia replied meekly. "I didn't expect such a battle." Ryan sighed.

"What are you gonna do now?" He asked.

"Will challenge Erika again." The blonde answered. "I'm not giving up on the Rainbow Badge."

"And after that?" Ryan questioned. Cynthia licked her ice cream, taking some time for the response.

"I'll most probably go to Vermillion and fight Lt. Surge." She answered. "I haven't planned it yet."

"Well, that is the best route for you to take at the moment." Ryan answered. He smirked when Cynthia licked her ice cream again. "Glad to see your love for ice cream hasn't changed."

"It's been a while since I had ice cream." Cynthia whined. "Let me enjoy it." Ryan waited so Cynthia could finish the remaining cone. Once she did, Ryan moved to the next question.

"How's your friend Ash?" Cynthia, who had been wiping her face with a tissue, froze. "I cannot see him anywhere. You're normally together most the time."

' _Oh yeah, he doesn't know.'_ Cynthia thought. "We split up." The blonde answered. "He's most probably in Rock Tunnel." Ryan nodded slowly.

"Argument?" Ryan questioned. Cynthia shook her head. "Then?"

"It's a long story." She answered. "I'll tell you about it someday." Ryan nodded, letting it be.

"You're getting a nice tan." Ryan commented. "It suits you." Cynthia smiled at the comment.

"I would've commented on your appearance but it is the same old so…" Cynthia teased jokingly. Ryan made a painful look at that.

"Ow, burn." He joked. The two laughed. "Hey, have you wondered where you'll travel after Kanto?" Cynthia shook her head.

"It depends." She answered. "Life is pretty unpredictable. It can change within a minute."

"Someone's speaking deep." Ryan remarked. Cynthia stuck her tongue out playfully. "And there goes the maturity."

"How's Sinnoh?" Cynthia asked.

"Missing it?" Ryan asked back.

"Missing its cold temperature. It's been a nice while before I've been there." Cynthia admitted.

"The last time you visited Sinnoh was two years ago, right?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah. In time of Ash's birthday." Cynthia grumbled. That wasn't certainly a pleasant memory.

"Sinnoh's the same." Ryan began. "I recommend coming to Sinnoh after the Indigo League."

"I'll think about it." Cynthia said. "It was nice talking to you Ryan." Cynthia began. "But I'm afraid I have to cut this call in half. I need to sight see Celadon a bit. And train a bit too. Erika wouldn't defeat herself."

"Ok then." Ryan said, adjusting a bit. "Chat you later Cynthia. Give your Mom my regards." Cynthia blinked. She hadn't talked to her after Cerulean.

"I will Ryan." She nodded. "Bye." The blonde cancelled the call and leaned back in her chair a bit. _'I haven't talked to Mom at all. She'll be most probably pissed.'_

The blonde decided to nip the problem in the bud and dialed up her mother's number. "Arceus help me." Cynthia prayed. Sophie was terrifying when she was angry.

And the call connected.

"Hello?" Sophie's voice rang from the other side. Cynthia squeezed her eyes shut.

"It's me Mom. Cynthia." The blonde said. The blank screen came to life and showed the face of Ash's Mom. "Hello." Cynthia greeted timidly, flinching at her look.

"Hello Cynthia Carolina." She _greeted_. "Thanks to sweet Arceus that you took the time to call your Mother."

"I forgot Mom." Cynthia murmured.

"And only now did I cross your mind?" Sophie questioned. "Wow, I'm honored. It's been what, more than one Month?" She asked.

"Most probably." Cynthia added and then shut up immediately.

"The last time you called was when you nearly died." Sophie responded flatly. "What's up this time?" Cynthia stared at her unbelievingly.

"Nothing Mom." She answered in a surprised tone. "Do you really believe me to go looking for trouble?"

"Can't blame me." She retorted airily. Cynthia clenched her fists at her tone. It reminded her too much of Erika. "So, are you and Ash travelling together?" She asked, trying to peer behind her.

"Nah. We split." Cynthia answered in the most neutral tone she could manage. "No thanks to you." The blonde added.

"It was for your own good." Sophie defended. "It was _his_ plan that got you hurt." Cynthia shook her head sadly.

"I don't even know what to say on this." She sighed. "Are we going to continue arguing on this or will we move on?"

"I did regret my decision once." Sophie began. "Separating you and Ash. It was an impulsive decision, and not my most favorite one." She admitted. Cynthia stayed quiet, taking the new line in.

"Then-" She was interrupted again.

"But I can see the results now." Sophie said. "You're better off alone than with him." Cynthia stared at her.

"I wonder why I even try." Cynthia snarled and cut the call. She clenched her teeth in anger and had half a mind to do something she'll surely regret later on.

' _Calm down.'_ Cynthia told herself. The blonde breathed in and out, relaxing herself. "She won't be getting a call from me anytime soon, that's for sure." Cynthia decided, getting up and walking up to Nurse Joy.

"How can I help you?" Nurse Joy asked.

"Can you tell me on how I can get the Pokégear?" Cynthia asked. Nurse Joy nodded and handed her a form.

"Just fill this in and we'll check if you're eligible for it." Nurse Joy replied. Cynthia nodded. The blonde asked for a pen which Nurse Joy provided pretty quickly.

"Thank you." Cynthia smiled and sat down on one of the various couches to fill the form. The form was pretty simply, asking about a trainer's information. Cynthia easily filled in within minutes and handed it back to Nurse Joy.

"Wait here for a few minutes please."

Cynthia was flexing her new Pokégear after a few minutes.

Xxx

"Finally!" Ash cheered, picking up the pokéball containing his newest capture. "Great job Viper." The Snivy nodded and climbed up to Ash's shoulder, panting. "Tired much?" Snivy gave him a deadpan look. Didn't she look tired?

The duo of trainers retreated to their campsite. Ash had moved his campsite further as part of the plan. He would leave Rock Tunnel within the next couple weeks. They had trained a lot and only a few parts remained.

Only after the first week did Ash realize the downside to his plan. The lack of sunlight in Rock Tunnel, the wild Pokémon, the claustrophobic surroundings, and training daily had its toll on him pretty quickly.

Ash sat down, taking off his cap and running a hand through his unruly hair. They had grown a lot from when he left Pallet Town. He'll have to visit a barber in Lavender Town.

"What do you say Viper?" Ash questioned his Grass Type. "When should we leave Rock Tunnel?" Viper shrugged and walked off. Ash shrugged. The Grass Type wasn't being social, that much was evident.

"What do I do with her?" Ash asked sadly. Viper wasn't opening much at all. It seemed like he had hit a brick wall after the Hidden Village scenario.

A yip got Ash's attention and he looked to the side. Mystic climbed to his shoulder, nuzzling her face against his. Ash chuckled a bit and scratched her behind the ear, earning a pleased growl.

"Enjoying Rock Tunnel?" Mystic shook her head. She loathed this tunnel. If Ash didn't leave within the next week, she'll personally blast him with Shadow Ball.

Just yesterday they had a run in with a large group of Zubat, led by a Golbat. Zeus had played a big hand in blasting them away. They barely sent them away and Viper had been poisoned too.

It was fortunate enough that Ash had an Antidote and managed to heal her. Rock Tunnel is a pretty dangerous place to be in. It was pure luck they hadn't run into a territorial strong Pokémon. Mystic wasn't sure they were strong enough to battle it.

"Cynthia would've surely hated being here." Ash predicted. "It's a wonder I'm staying here." Mystic rolled her eyes. Less wonder and more misfortune for them.

Ash suddenly felt a slight shock go through the ground. "Did you feel that?" Ash asked Mystic. The Evolution Pokémon nodded and got off his shoulder, standing alert.

Ash got up and looked around carefully. "Mystic, can you call Zeus and the others here? We may or may not be in trouble." Mystic wondered if she had jinxed themselves.

The Evolution Pokémon ran off to find the others, leaving Ash alone. Ash quickly packed up his campsite, finding it much safer to leave and camp somewhere else. They were in no position to fight.

Mystic returned quickly, yipping at Ash urgently. Ash stared at her in question. "What happened girl?" Ash questioned. Mystic gestured to a direction with her tail. "Something the…" Ash trailed off as he saw a figure loom in.

A large Rhydon stomped in front of him and Mystic, roaring. But that wasn't what got his attention. Nope.

A Seadra was in his hands, unconscious and badly bruised.

Rhydon was wet and he seemed pissed off. Mystic and Ash stared at Rhydon with widened eyes.

Yup, Mystic had jinxed them pretty badly.

The Rhydon was a territorial and experienced Pokémon.

They were screwed.

"Mystic, where are the others?" Ash questioned. Mystic shook her head. She didn't know. Rhydon threw Oceanus to the side and settled his gaze on Ash.

The Rhydon roared suddenly and charged them.

And a battle for survival began.

Xxx

 **And here we go! Hope you like the brief changes I have made regarding the layout. Please review! You don't know how much your reviews motivate me!**

 **Response to Reviews:**

 **Poke-ranger21: Maybe, maybe not…**

 **Mark Andrew: Correct bro. And don't worry about Ash and Cynthia not meeting or trying to reach the other at all, they will meet soon in the near future. And I have thought about the path I'm taking with our protagonists and have planned about it. It's necessary for Character Development. I did say in the beginning about no Aura stuff but I'm beginning to reconsider about it. Don't worry; it won't pop out of nowhere. It'll have a solid background and not just ancestor stuff. And yeah, I'm bored out of my skin due to the virus. Pray it goes away bro. I'm sick of it, not literally.**

 **Thanks for the lengthy review bro! I really like these types of reviews more than one worded ones. I appreciate it!**

 **UltimateCCC: Nice prediction bro!**

 **Guest: I'll prefer not to reply to you because it seems you already have made your mindset. I just want to say that the assumptions you have made are wrong, and will be proven wrong in the near future. The two have chosen different roads, not different dimensions or galaxies lol. That's all I want to say. If you want to read Conqueror, stick around. If not, it's your wish.**

 **MaxSlayer: We're not in the Endgame Yet. About the egg, maybe. Maybe not.**


	14. Rhydon's Rampage

**Another chapter so quickly? Are you daydreaming? Fortunately not! Enjoy and do tell me in reviews on my take on Viper. Your reviews motivate me guys! If you want me to roll out chapters at this pace, keep reviewing!**

 **Disclaimer: I Don't Own Pokémon.**

Xxx

 **Rhydon's Rivalry!**

"Dodge!" Ash yelled, jumping to the side. Rhydon's blind charge passed besides him, missing his starter as well. "Shadow Ball!" Ash ordered. Mystic fired off the blast, hitting Rhydon on his face.

Rhydon's face reared to the side a bit, and he blindly swung his hand down. Mystic jumped back and quickly retaliated with Quick Attack boosted Iron Tail.

She flipped and hit Rhydon on his midsection, sending him stumbling back a bit. That was proof that the training they underwent for the past couple of weeks was bearing its fruit.

Rhydon turned around suddenly, slamming his muscular tail into Mystic. The Eevee, who had just landed her Iron Tail, was unable to dodge and was sent skidding to the side.

"Swift!" Ash ordered. Mystic yipped and swung her tail, sending explosive stars flying towards Rhydon. The Rock/Ground Type raised his arm against them, blocking the star shaped projectiles.

He then slammed his tail down, sending glowing sharp rocky pillars towards Mystic. Mystic yipped and jumped to the side, dodging those as well.

Ash returned Oceanus in the meantime, wondering just how Rhydon had defeated the Seadra. He had a heavy weakness against him, and a diverse range of attacks all of which could've defeated Rhydon hard.

Maybe Rhydon had taken him by surprise? But what was Oceanus doing so far that none of them were able to sense Rhydon approaching? Though Ash had limited senses, his Pokémon were all spread around and surely would've heard him.

Mystic yipped in warning and Ash looked up. Rhydon had sent a Stone Edge his way and Ash had no mood of getting in a hospital. He side stepped hastily, barely dodging the sharp rocks.

Rhydon roared and tried to rush towards Ash but Mystic's Shadow Ball got his attention again. He decided to ignore the human and charged the pesky Evolution Pokémon first.

"Quick Attack! Slide under him!" Mystic dashed forwards, quickly covering the distance between them, and managed to squeeze between his legs. Rhydon stopped his blind charge and turned around only to get a face full of Shadow Ball.

Rhydon snarled and tensed. He jumped and landed down on the ground, shaking the floor to its very core. Ash and Mystic were taken by surprise at the sudden Earthquake and got hit pretty badly.

Mystic yipped in pain, falling down as the tremors impacted her, and Rhydon pressed on with Stone Edge. The Eevee was unable to dodge in time and was sent flying away.

Rhydon roared and huffed at Mystic's downed form. He turned to Ash who was struggling to get up and decided to finish him up as well.

' _Damn.'_ Ash cursed. _'I should've expected that Earthquake.'_ Ash spotted Rhydon approaching him and spotted Mystic a few feet away. _'Where are the others?!'_

Rhydon reached him by the time Ash was in a sitting position. Ash's face paled as Rhydon raised an arm above him. Ash clipped an empty pokéball on his waste and got an idea.

Ash threw the empty pokéball blindly. Due to the close proximity of Rhydon near him, his aim was pinpoint. Rhydon let out a surprised grunt as he was sucked inside the ball.

Ash got up quickly, knowing that the pokéball wouldn't be able to hold Rhydon much faster. He returned Mystic, knowing the Evolution Pokémon would be out cold for a good while, and quickly grabbed his backpack.

Rhydon burst out of his pokéball, roaring at Ash angrily. Apparently, he didn't like Ash's sneak trick. Ash had kept most of his stuff packed anyway and slung the backpack over his shoulder.

' _I need to get away from him.'_ Ash thought, mind racing to find a way to get past Rhydon. _'Where are you guys?!'_ Ash thought hastily. Zeus would've blinded Rhydon with Flash and his Grass Types would've helped a lot.

Rhydon slammed his muscular tail into the ground yet again, triggering another Stone Edge. Ash quickly ran away from it, approaching Rhydon instead. Ash had another vacant pokéball in his hand.

Rhydon snarled and charged towards him as well. Ash clutched the ball tight and threw it. Rhydon raised his arm and punched the ball to the side.

Ash had seriously not expected that and Rhydon grabbed him by his shirt. Lifting the trainer up, Rhydon roared. Ash's eyes widened and his body seized up in fear. Ash struggled to escape the grip, trying to force the claw away.

' _The repel!'_ Ash thought, getting an idea. _'I only need to reach my bag.'_ Ash tried to formulate a plan to do just that. Rhydon threw Ash away like a ragdoll, sending him rolling away.

Ash impacted the ground hard and rolled a bit away from the Drill Pokémon. The Palletian quickly unzipped his backpack, trying to ignore the dizzy sensation in his body, and found a repel.

Rhydon chortled at his attempts and triggered another Stone Edge. Ash stared at the incoming sharp rocks in fear. If they impacted, he would surely be torn apart.

Unfortunately, Ash was in no position to move. Fear seized his body at the prospect of dying and he sat there stunned. Suddenly, two vines wrapped around his waist, and pulled him away.

Ash let out a yelp as he was unceremoniously dragged to the side. "Huh?" Ash said and then spotted the Unovan Grass Starter in front of him. "Viper?"

The Snivy gestured him to stay back and looked at Rhydon. A green aura outlined her body as Overgrow activated. Ash shook off the paralysis caused by fear and got up. "Where are the others?"

Viper gestured him to stay down and prepared herself. Ash got up on shaky feet, used to her rudeness by now. He looked at Rhydon, the Pokémon who had nearly killed him.

Killed him? Well, deaths weren't exactly uncommon for trainers. He would be just another in the list. Ash shuddered at how nonchalant he was regarding his death.

There was a roar, and Rhydon slammed his tail into the ground. Viper and Ash tensed, expecting another Stone Edge. However, the Stone Edge went in another direction entirely.

Ash stared in surprise while Viper seemed to pale a bit. There was another roar, matching Rhydon's, and a _Lairon_ charged Rhydon. Rhydon slammed his arm down on Lairon, matching his Iron Head.

Ash had no idea from where the Lairon had come. All he knew was that they had to get away from the two clashing Pokémon. Both were stronger than his team, especially with half his team out of commission.

Oceanus and Mystic were knocked out, and Ash wouldn't dare pit his newly captured Aron against the two giants. While the little Iron Armor Pokémon had spunk, Ash couldn't dream he'll match the two of them at his current level.

"Zeus!" Ash exclaimed once he saw his Electric Type approach them. The Electric Mouse Pokémon gave Ash a quick greeting and began to chitter something to Viper.

The Grass Type responded back. Ash wondered just what had occurred in his absence. For the Rhydon to attack them and the Lairon to fight the _Rhydon_ instead of them, it was pretty confusing.

Zeus climbed on top of Ash's shoulder, questioning him about Mystic's whereabouts. Ash pointed to his starter's pokéball. "She's out." Zeus let out a sad cry at that. "We need to get away from them. Where is Bulbasaur?"

Viper pointed to the Lairon. "He was _fighting_ him?" She nodded. "How the hell did you guys get in a fight with such a strong Pokémon?" Ash cursed.

Viper shrugged. "Once we find Bulbasaur, we're retreating. Okay?" The two nodded. "And Viper," The Snivy looked up. "We're having a talk after this is over." Ash told her seriously. The Grass Type stared back for a bit before nodding.

Truth be told, Ash was really tired of Viper's attitude. She was constantly rude to everyone, including even Mystic. Everyone in his team was getting a bit sick of her and Zeus had even stopped trying to talk to her.

Rhydon jumped up and landed hard, triggering another Earthquake. Viper quickly jumped in the air while Ash steadied himself, managing to ride out the attack.

Ash grunted at the feeling. His legs were surely going to be sore after this was over. "Return for now guys." Ash said. Zeus shook his head while Viper rolled his eyes. "I'll call you back out later guys. You two are tired. Don't act like I can't see your bruises."

Ash now understood part of the story. It seemed Lairon had attacked them and Viper, Zeus, and Bulbasaur had engaged them. Though Ash didn't know about Bulbasaur and was trying his best not to think the worst, Viper and Zeus had taken some serious damage.

Though the same could be said for Lairon. The constant static arcing his body signifying paralysis and whip marks showed the damage. Lairon was fighting way sloppier than Rhydon possibly due to his previous fight.

Viper turned around and her look conveyed her message. She wasn't going back to her Luxury Ball. She was very resilient. Zeus chittered his response making Ash sigh.

"Your wish guys. Your wish." Ash muttered. He looked at the ongoing battle in front of them and his eyes widened. Rhydon had just slammed a brutal Hammer Arm on top of Lairon, knocking him out.

Rhydon slammed another for good measure, and then picked the evolved form of Aron. He threw him down and triggered a Stone Edge, dealing further damage to him.

Ash's eyes widened at the back to back attacks from Rhydon, especially on a downed Pokémon, and intervened. "Viper, use Leaf Storm!" Viper reacted within a moment, sending a storm of leaves straight towards the Drill Pokémon.

Rhydon snarled, stumbling back from the super effective attack, and roared angrily. He glared at Viper and tried to find Lairon only to find a Dusk Ball.

Vipers quickly grabbed it with Vine Whip and handed, err, _vined_ it to Ash. "Nice work Viper." Ash said, looking at the locked pokéball. He'll have to send it to Professor Oak later. He looked at Rhydon and blinked.

Rhydon was pissed.

The Drill Pokémon roared at them in anger. Even Viper seemed a bit muffled by the blind rage and looked at Zeus to find him feeling the same.

"He won't be showing any leniency now." Ash mumbled. "It will be straight goodbye now if his attacks connect." Viper gave him a look that clearly said 'Thank you for the support' and prepared herself.

"I have a plan." Ash whispered to them. "Zeus, how's your Thunderclap going?" Zeus shook his head. "We'll have to work with Flash then." He nodded. "When I signal, blind him. Viper, attack him with everything you have and try to limit his movement. We can make an escape them."

Viper and Zeus nodded. "Do you have even the smallest idea where we can find Bulbasaur?" Zeus nodded. "Good." Ash waited for the perfect moment.

Rhydon dug under the ground, deciding to strike from below. Zeus stayed on the ground, feeling the tremors left by Rhydon. It was a skill they had learned while staying in Rock Tunnel.

Since many Ground Types opted to attack from below, Ash had his team adapt to it and find a way to counter it. One method was to move from one place to another so quickly that the opponent could not land a hit.

But that method was tiring and the foe could simply bait it out. So, Ash opted for another. In this, the Pokémon felt for the Pokémon below. Small Pokémon were hard to detect and could only be felt when they were about to strike.

But for large Pokémon like Rhydon, it was easy since they left a lot of disturbance below.

Zeus gave a cry and the trio quickly split off. Rhydon burst from under them and slammed his heavy tail into Ash's side. Ash, who wasn't fast enough to create distance between him and Rhydon, was sent flying away.

Ash hit the ground with a thud and groaned in pain. He clutched his side, moaning from the intense pain. Rhydon turned his attention to Viper and tried a Hammer Arm.

Viper boosted quickly with Swords Dance and retaliated with Leaf Blade. Rhydon let out a grunt in surprise when Viper's Leaf Blade broke through his Hammer Arm, landing a clean hit.

Viper quickly back flipped, sending a Leaf Storm into him. Rhydon growled as the sharp leaves damaged him, and then stumbled back as another Leaf Blade struck him.

Zeus ran around him in circles, using Double Team to confuse him. Rhydon let out a cry and tried to trigger another Earthquake but Viper's Mega Drain hit him.

The Drill Pokémon dropped to one knee from the various damaging attacks, and glared at Viper. That was his mistake; however, as Zeus's Flash blinded him.

Rhydon roared at the tactic and tried to blindly punch Zeus. The Zeus dodged with ease and landed an Iron Tail on his back. Rhydon fell to both knees.

Viper panted from the constant use of Overgrow and let the boost dissipate. Rhydon felt the Mega Drain weaken and the Flash wear off. His tail slammed down, and another Stone Edge was triggered.

This time, however, it formed like a shield around him. Zeus jumped back, maintaining a healthy distance between them. Rhydon grabbed the Mega Drain tendrils and ripped them off him, getting up.

Zeus looked at Viper and found her panting heavily. He chittered concernedly to her but Viper gestured him to not worry and focus more on Rhydon.

Zeus unleashed a powerful Thunderbolt, blasting the Stone Edge shield away. Zeus let out a surprised cry as Rhydon was found missing. He found the ground shaking and tackled Viper to the side with him.

Rhydon jumped from the ground, almost hitting them. Viper quickly got into a fighting stance and her tail sharpened. Viper's attacks had damaged him nicely as evident from his heavy labored breathing.

Though the same could be said for them. Oceanus and Mystic were both knocked out, Bulbasaur was missing, Lairon was also out, and she herself was on the end of the rope.

Rhydon alone had managed to defeat all of their team so badly. If she didn't have such a large Type Advantage over him, the Drill Pokémon could've potentially struck her out as well.

Rhydon charged them again. Viper and Zeus jumped away, dodging his Take Down. Zeus decided to confuse him again with Double Team and Quick Attack while Viper reactivated Overgrow.

Rhydon snarled in irritation and rushed towards again. This time though, his very step caused the ground to shake. Viper steadied herself and jumped using Vine Whip, passing over his Bulldoze.

Zeus, however, was unable to dodge the attack and got hit by the brunt of it. He squealed in pain and got hit by Rhydon's muscular tail. Viper landed on the ground and immediately went on the offensive.

Rhydon raised a rocky arm against the swarm of leaves, growling at the pain. Viper lunged forwards, her Leaf Blade poised for a clean hit. Rhydon retaliated with a Hammer Arm.

As a few minutes ago, Leaf Blade won the clash. However, this time Rhydon was ready. His horn, covered and influenced with Bug Type energy, hit Viper's chest hard.

Viper let out a gasp as the Super Effective move struck, and Rhydon quickly followed up with Take Down. The Grass Type was sent flying away; crashing against a wall with so much force she broke the surface.

Rhydon roared triumphantly and then growled as Zeus's Iron Tail hit the back of his right knee, forcing him down and crippling his movement. The Drill Pokémon swung his tail at him but the Electric Mouse managed to dodge it.

Zeus gained Rhydon's notice again and unleashed another Flash. Rhydon roared at the tactic and clawed wildly, trying to strike Zeus. The Electric Type lashed back with Iron Tail, landing a lot of clean strikes and damaging Rhydon further.

Rhydon regained his vision after getting hit a dozen times and tried Hammer Arm. Zeus dodged, climbing up the arm and slamming in Rhydon's face with Take Down.

He then flipped using Iron Tail, hitting the back of his head hard and managing to get away at the same time. Zeus landed down and immediately targeted Rhydon's other knee.

Of all the counters, the Pikachu didn't expect a _Protect_ to come up and block his Iron Tail. Rhydon, having gained enough time, turned around and blasted Zeus away with a destructive _Hyper Beam._

Zeus was blasted quite a distance away, landing with smoking fur and an unmoving body. Rhydon roared triumphantly despite his injuries and looked at the trio of Pokémon.

Viper was etched into a wall, the look on her face defeated and her body limp. The trainer was on his feet, throwing a Dusk Ball-

Rhydon was sucked in the special pokéball and the pokéball dropped to the ground, shaking erratically. Ash was up, clutching his side. Ash fell to his knees, looking at the Dusk Ball.

After a few tense moments, the Dusk Ball dinged and immediately locked up. Ash smiled and then fell face forward.

The darkness seemed all too pleasing.

Xxx

Viper opened her eyes, feeling like she was hit by a freight train. She tried to move her neck and found herself etched into a wall. The Snivy quickly remembered what had put her in this position and she gasped.

Her eyes scanned the entire field, trying to find Rhydon. Her eyes trailed to a Dusk Ball on the ground and she took a moment to understand.

Once she did, Viper sighed in relief. Her relief turned to panic when she saw the condition of Ash and Zeus. The Grass Snake peeled herself off the wall, falling face first into the ground.

It was when she was on her feet did the snake realize just how much her body hurt. Every move felt like a huge effort, and she wanted nothing more than to skip into unconscious again.

However, her concern for her teammates won over and she managed to reach out to Ash. The trainer was lying face first down and his shirt was soaked.

To Viper's horror, she realized the shirt was soaked in _blood_. Viper quickly grabbed Ash and forced him on his back. Viper tried to wake him up, tapping his face repeatedly.

When Ash didn't reply, Viper felt even more concerned. She spotted Zeus and quickly approached him. Her body screamed at the effort but Viper ignored it.

She saw Zeus lying limp and quickly grabbed him up. Viper shook him, trying to stir the mouse up, but he remained unresponsive. Viper didn't give up, thinking of a method to wake him up.

She figured Mystic would have a way to help them before remembering she was also out cold. Ash had said that much anyway. Viper sat down dejectedly, looking at Ash again before at Zeus.

' _Don't leave me.'_ Viper thought, a growing sense of dread settling in her stomach. _'I need you. Please!'_ Her sense of dread increased and Viper felt something drip out of her eye.

Viper blinked as tears began to drop out of her eyes. She sat down dejectedly, staring at Zeus's form. Tears began to drop on their own, and Viper began to sob.

It felt… new. It had been a while since Viper had cried. Had she even ever cried? All her life she was stuck in the Pokémon Mill where no one was trustable. She had learned that no one cared about her emotions and did her best to hide them.

There, she learned that all men were vile, selfish damned creatures that deserved to be punished. That no man was trustworthy. The Pokémon Mill was run completely by men, after all.

And here she was, crying for two males. Why was she even crying? Why should she care that two males died? What did they even mean to her? Ash was someone who provided her shelter in exchange of her battle tactics.

Sure, he was nice to her and ignored her rudeness most of the time. But that was just his trick to get her to trust him, just to betray her like everyone else.

And Zeus was just a teammate. Someone she got along with just for the sake of it. The Grass Snake thought that in order to stay in Ash's good graces, she had to get along with everyone. She didn't even react to his tricks to get her attention. Offering an apple, trying to stay close to her etc.

It was then Viper got her answer.

" _Hey. Would you like a berry?" Zeus asked Viper after her battle against Bulbasaur. The Grass Type was panting heavily. Viper looked at Zeus and took the berry after a moment of truth. Zeus smiled and walked away, leaving her alone._

 _Viper wondered just what was up with Zeus. He always acted so nicely to her while she ignored him or acted rudely. She actually felt a bit guilty of treating him like that._

" _Hey Viper," Ash spoke up. "Come over here please." Viper, who had been trying to ignore her burns from Scald. She looked at Ash with an irritated look. Can't he just leave her alone?_

 _Viper chose to ignore him instead, lying down. She heard a sigh and footsteps approaching her. "Stay put please." Viper let out an annoyed snarl as Ash gently lifted her and placed her in his lap._

 _She hissed as Ash gently applied Burn Heal on her. "Easy girl." Viper relaxed, knowing the effect of Burn Heal. Her burns began to cool down and she sighed in content. "Why are you so grumpy all the while? Chill."_

 _Viper looked at him with one of her eyes, looking over him. Shouldn't he take his own care first and then think about him? Just yesterday he had suffered a nasty Rock Throw from a local Geodude._

" _Rest easy now girl. I'll get you when I serve food, okay?"_

And that was just one of the various incidents in which they had shown her kindness. The entire team, from Ash to Mystic to Bulbasaur, all had ignored her rude tone and treated her equally.

And now the entire team was on the verge of finishing and only she was here to witness it. The first and only family she was close to having and all of it was torn apart.

Viper looked down at her hands and clenched them. Despite her ability to use Overgrow, despite the hard training they did in Rock Tunnel, despite her doing everything in her power to protect everyone, Viper failed.

Gods, she hated herself. Viper's tears turned from sadness to ones of anger as she began to loathe herself. She was useless! Against Bulbasaur in their first meeting, against the poacher who almost killed them, and now against Rhydon.

One of Viper's tears landed on Zeus's face and his expression shifted a bit. Viper, who was too busy in self-loathing, didn't notice. Zeus opened his eyes and let out a pained cry.

It was after the cry did Viper notice him. She blinked and wiped her face quickly. Viper helped Zeus up, telling him to take it easy. Zeus nodded and looked at her face.

He questioned whether if she was crying to which Viper shook her head. She tried to play it off with her usual rudeness but her façade broke before it even began.

Viper pulled Zeus in a hug and began to cry. Zeus let out a surprised call at the emotion Viper was showing and hugged her back tenderly. Both of them were in pretty delicate shape at the moment.

Viper didn't stop her tears, letting her emotions show for once. Zeus smiled and let her hug him as long as she wanted. Viper admitted that she was afraid she lost them to which Zeus broke the hug.

He looked at Ash who was still unmoving and the two quickly approached him. Zeus, who was with Ash longer than Viper, quickly zipped open his backpack with his teeth and began to rummage.

Viper, feeling relieved and a bit more composed, questioned Zeus on what had occurred after she fainted. Zeus gestured her to wait and pulled out a pouch.

He opened the mouth and pulled out a berry. Throwing one to Viper, he ate one himself and pulled out a third. He asked Viper to help him open Ash's mouth and she helped.

The Snivy used Vine Whip and opened Ash's mouth gently, letting Zeus squeeze the berry above his mouth and let its juice drip into Ash's mouth.

Ash began to stir after that. Zeus and Viper pulled his backpack off him and pulled out a couple of potions. Viper wondered just why did she cry instead of working logically and think that she had lost Zeus and Ash.

To her defense, her fear for Ash was justified. He wasn't a Pokémon fit for battling. He was a human and that hit was sure to have broken a few of his ribs. She'll be surprised if they hadn't.

Zeus landed down and winced. Viper was at his side, helping him up. Zeus gave her a grateful look and handed one of the potions to her. Viper sprayed it over her, hissing at the stinging feeling.

Ash stirred as the berry worked its effect. He opened his eyes and let out a pained scream, clutching his sides. Viper put the potion down and put a hand on his face consolingly.

"Viper?" Ash whispered. "Where's Rhydon? Are you guys okay? Where's Bulbasaur?" Ash asked frantically. He then squeezed his eyes shut as his broken ribs were irritated.

Viper gestured him to stay calm and wrapped a Vine Whip around his waist. Then, with Zeus's help, she helped him up in a sitting position. Ash felt tears sting his eyes at the sensation of his ribs and bit his lower lip to the point of drawing blood.

Viper gestured him to calm down and quickly dug out some bandages and First Aid Kit. "What happened to you guys?" Ash asked, taking off his jacket with some struggle. His shirt was a problem, however, so Viper cut it off with Leaf Blade.

Her eyes turned wide at Ash's injury. Ash saw Viper's expression and gave her a reassuring look. "Don't worry girl, I'm fine." The Snivy didn't buy it and pulled out a disinfectant from the first aid kit.

She began to help him, ignoring her own injuries in favor of his. Ash stayed calm, doing his best to stay calm and keep Viper calm as well. "Take some cotton and…" Ash instructed Viper, keeping his tone level.

Viper worked to her best, using Vine Whip and helping Ash. After a good while, Viper finished helping Ash. "Atta girl Viper." Ash praised. "Leave the rest to me. You rest, okay?"

Viper nodded, feeling relieved and sat down. Zeus gave her a greeting and sprayed some Potion over her, handing her another Oran Berry. Viper chewed on the berry slowly, stealing a look at Ash's injuries.

He was wrapping bandages around his torso. The look on his face showed just how much pain he was feeling in. Viper sighed, trying to calm herself, and focused on the berry instead.

"Thanks guys." Ash said, easing the new shirt handed by Zeus on him. He didn't wear the jacket, however, and smiled. "So, you do care Viper?" He joked.

Viper gave him a look making him chuckle. "Did you guys get Rhydon's Pokéball?" Viper nodded and used Vine Whip to get the ball, handing it to Ash. "What about Bulbasaur?"

Viper told Ash to stay down and took Bulbasaur's pokéball. She gestured Zeus to stay with Ash and took off, feeling healed enough. She found Bulbasaur not that far away from where he had engaged Lairon and sent them for backup.

The Grass/Poison Type was out cold and Viper quickly returned him back to his pokéball. She took off back to Ash. All of Ash's Pokémon needed severe healing.

The Grass Snake wondered just what Ash would do with Aron since he had a stronger evolution of him. Contrary to what Ash believed, Lairon was actually much weaker than the monster that is Rhydon. She had noted that much when fighting it.

Ash could release Aron back out and free a Dusk Ball. Since he hadn't even interacted with the Rock/Steel Type, it wouldn't be that hard or complex.

It was Ash's decision in the end. Viper dropped the topic and reached Ash. The Kantonian had all of his team out, including Aron. She blinked when it waddled off, but not before shooting her a dirty look.

So, Ash had released him nevertheless. That meant Ash had an extra spot open. Since he had caught Lairon first, his pokéball slot would be open.

Viper reached and released Bulbasaur near Ash as well. The Kantonian was doing his best to heal up them given his current injuries. Viper decided to approach him and give him a helping hand.

"I released Aron." Ash told Viper. "Since I already have Lairon, I figured he could use his old life right now." Viper nodded. And to think of all the struggle they went through to get one. "I'll think on what to do with Lairon and Rhydon after everyone is in tip top condition."

Viper stared at Ash. He really couldn't be serious about Rhydon. That guy alone took on all of them and defeated them despite their advantage in numbers and typing.

"Don't give me that look Viper." Ash told her. "I'm not going to train him or anything." He said to relieve her. "I'll most probably trade him to someone. I don't want anything to do with someone who nearly killed all of us."

Viper patched up Mystic, the Evolution Pokémon getting up. Viper smiled at her concerned look and told her to take it slowly. Mystic gave a yip to Ash who gave her a reassuring look.

Viper quickly filled her in on the situation. Mystic asked if someone was seriously injured to which Viper told her about Ash's injury. Viper told the Evolution Pokémon to stay calm since everything was fine now.

She nodded and laid down, feeling her tiredness catch up to her. "Guys!" Ash exclaimed. Viper looked up from her position and gave him a confused look. "Charmander is hatching!"

Xxx

 **Ending on another cliffhanger lol! How was it? Good, bad, epic? Do tell me in reviews! Until then, see you!**

 **Response to reviews:**

 _ **MaxSlayer:**_ **Nah. Cynthia will have her own personality, Paul will be Paul lol. Viper will have a conclusion in due time. Just wait. And sorry bro, but I don't have a fixed schedule. I write when I want to, and that varies a lot. I can upload two chapters in one week or no chapters in two months. Why do you think Conqueror has 14 chapters only in the spam of 1 year plus.**

 _ **UltimateCCC:**_ **Character Development.**

 _ **Mark Andrew:**_ **Why don't you make an account? It'll certainly take away the Guest Reviews problem. Cynthia's reaction, well, I based it on how humans around her age react when scolded by parents. I'm trying to set up a schedule but it doesn't just work. The only reason I was able to roll the previous chapter comparatively quickly is due to being at home. At least something positive is coming out of it XD. Glad to see someone's impatiently waiting for my upload. I was actually thinking no one cared about my fiction a few weeks ago. Lol.**


	15. End of Rock Tunnel

**Thanks for the amazing love and support you guys have showed me by reviewing! To reward you, I've released another chapter quickly! R &R (Read and Review) to get faster chapters!**

 **I think I'll try to follow a weekly update schedule. What do you guys say? I'll only be capable of writing so much if you guys keep supporting so do help by reviewing and sharing your opinion on my story! Constructive criticism is always welcome, flames and haters will be ignored.**

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.**_

Xxx

 **Goodbye Rock Tunnel!**

"Guys!" Ash exclaimed. "Charmander is hatching!" Viper looked up from her position and saw the egg rocking. Ash pulled the egg out from its incubator and settled it down on a blanket.

Zeus, Mystic, and Viper looked on in interest as cracks began to form in the egg. Ash's grin stretched from one cheek to another as the cracks continued to widen.

Viper wondered just what an eventful day it was. First, they had finally found an Aron and captured it. Then Rhydon and Lairon attacked. Ash captured both Pokémon and released the Aron he had spent so long and hard to find. And now, Charmander.

The cracks finished opening and an orange hand came out. Ash watched on in curiosity as more of Charmander came out, before the entire egg broke.

A baby Charmander came out, eyes closed. For the first time, the Fire Type opened his eyes, taking in the real world. Ash smiled as his eyes landed on him, and gently offered a hand forward.

"Hey Charmander." Ash greeted softly. "My name is Ash. I'm a Pokémon trainer from Pallet Town." Charmander let out a cute confused cry, looking at his hand. "I'm your surrogate father." Charmander lifted his own hand and placed it on Ash's hand slowly, as if considering his very movement.

Ash smiled once again and looked at the amniotic fluid covering Charmander. "I'll have to wipe you clean, okay?" Charmander nodded and Ash gently lifted it with his blanket.

Ash began to wipe the Fire Type carefully, not wanting to irritate his own injuries. Once down, Ash put Charmander down and put the blanket back in his blanket.

"I'm going to introduce you to your new family in a minute, okay?" Ash told Charmander. "Viper, can you watch over him?" The Snivy nodded and got up. "That's Viper, one of your aunts."

Charmander let out a greeting and Viper smiled back. Ash noted that it was one of the very few times Viper had smiled and couldn't help the smile on his own face.

He got up and decided to finish treating his remaining team. Zeus had finished giving berries to Mystic. The Eevee was in a better condition than before and slowly approached the baby Charmander.

She licked him in greeting, giving a cheerful cry. Charmander greeted her back and then looked at Zeus. Viper told the Fire Type that Zeus and Mystic were her aunt and uncle, respectively.

Charmander questioned on why the other two Pokémon were sleeping to which Viper quickly replied that they were sleeping. That was a complete lie, but Charmander didn't have to know the truth right now.

Charmander then questioned on whether why his father was trying to wake him up to which Mystic replied that they had been sleeping for a bit too long. She said that they were just being lazy.

Zeus looked at Mystic and questioned on who would be Charmander's Mom jokingly. Mystic smirked and replied that she was most probably in Celadon or Vermillion right now.

The trio of Pokémon couldn't help but laugh at the prospect. Charmander questioned on who was her Mother and Mystic nuzzled him in response.

Zeus replied that her Mother was a tall girl named Cynthia and she was currently away from them. Charmander asked on why was her Mom away from them instead of with them.

Viper replied this time, saying that Cynthia would meet him pretty soon and would have his 'brother' with him. Viper thought on who he was referring to before remembering Cynthia also had an egg.

Charmander cried out in excitement that he couldn't wait to meet her and his brother. Zeus replied that his father also couldn't wait to meet Cynthia. Mystic had to stifle a laugh at that.

Ash returned to a scene of Viper tickling Charmander with her vines and the baby laughing wildly. He himself smirked and kneeled near them. "Hey Charmander."

Viper stopped tickling him and let Charmander crawl up to Ash. Charmander cooed something to Ash which he couldn't understand properly. Mystic explained it to him while chuckling.

"Your Mother?" Ash asked. Charmander nodded. Ash looked at Zeus and the two female Pokémon, feeling a nagging suspicion. Viper understood his look and replied innocently with Cynthia's name.

The trio burst in laughter at his blush. Ash replied that they'll hopefully meet soon enough and he'll love her. Just like Ash, Zeus remarked. They laughed again.

"Haha, laugh it up." Ash grumbled. Charmander giggled a bit, laughing not because he understood, but because he just felt like it. "You must be hungry Charmander." He nodded. "We all are. Let's eat up." Oceanus and Bulbasaur walked over to Charmander to meet him and Ash walked off to get their food.

Ash toyed with Lairon's Pokéball, wondering on whether he should heal him up as well. Lairon was brutally hit by Rhydon, after all. Rhydon's attacks were no joke.

Ash sighed and quickly pulled out his stuff. He'll heal Lairon up and then keep him in his pokéball until he talked with him. Lairon could attack them, after all. They barely had recovered from the fight with Rhydon and he was not in the mood to fight again.

Ash called out Lairon, wincing a bit at his appearance. Rhydon had done a big number on him. Ash would have to spend a lot of healings on him just to patch him up.

Yup, they were pretty badly hit. It was only lucky that Ash had a Dusk Ball left and Rhydon was so weakened. If he hadn't been captured, well.

Ash wasn't sure he'll have seen the sun ever again.

Xxx

After Charmander's hatching, Ash had decided it was in his best interests to leave Rock Tunnel. All of his team was recovering from Rhydon's attacks and he wanted some peace from their daily schedule of training and his supplies were close to ending as well.

Ash had decided to withhold his confrontation with Lairon after he reached the Pokémon Center outside the tunnel. For one, he hadn't battled with him fairly and had caught him just so Rhydon wouldn't damage him further.

The Drill Pokémon had no chill.

Other than that, Ash had thought of an idea with Rhydon. He could send him to Professor Oak and ask him to set it up for trade. That way, Ash could get formidable Pokémon in return and not have to deal with him.

After all, Ash couldn't exactly be comfortable around someone who very nearly killed all of them.

Viper had returned to her usual demeanor, with the exception of her rudeness. She seemed more at ease than ever before actually. Ash had to accept that much.

At least she wasn't being a total bitch and was actually socializing.

"Ouch." Ash winced as his injuries made themselves known. They were limiting his travelling speed by a lot and Ash was pretty sure he won't be so lucky if another territorial Pokémon decided to attack them.

"I'm fine." Ash assured his starter. Ash had kept at least one Pokémon out with him for defense. "Just, you know. The injuries." Mystic yipped in concern. "We'll take some rest and then continue."

Most of Ash's travels went like this. Ash would cover some short distance, rest, interact with Charmander, and then continue. The Kantonian was pretty rough shape.

Ash was sure he'll have to stay for a month or so at the Pokémon Center to be back at tip top shape. The injury seemed pretty deep judging by the pain. Ash hadn't felt this much pain even from a straight on Iron Head.

At least the Pokémon Center was cap _able_ to heal such injuries, no matter the time period taken. Ash couldn't imagine such an injury crippling him for the remainder of his life.

Ash had no open slot on his team currently, having a full team. So he couldn't properly register Charmander as his Pokémon or the pokéball would seal. Charmander was young and very easily influenced and not coming out of a pokéball wouldn't set that high of an example.

That meant Charmander had to be protected through other means. Ash had decided to wrap him up in a fire proof blanket he had gotten from Melanie and carry him around in his backpack.

"Enjoying the view Charmander?" Ash questioned his Fire Type. Charmander shook his head. The same scenery was being repeated all over again. The same old rocks. He wanted a change! "We'll get out of Rock Tunnel pretty soon, don't worry."

After Zeus had mentioned Cynthia did Ash begin to miss her. Ash had surrounded himself with his Pokémon and training so much that he just didn't have enough time to think about her at all.

Now that he had lots of free time, Ash missed the blonde. Cynthia would most probably be in Celadon or Vermillion right now, judging on where she wished to go. She was pretty far from her.

Though Ash had made terms with their separation, the only fact he didn't like was being separated on a reason that wasn't even in their control. How were they responsible for someone else attacking them?!

Ash wanted to meet her again. They had each other's Pokedex IDs for instance so Ash could call her on her pokedex.

Never mind the fact that the calling feature update was a hoax and their pokedex did not, in fact, have a calling feature nor it would get. Silph Co. had introduced pokégear in its place with the feature.

Ash planned to get one when he reached Saffron. They would most probably be free for trainers.

Coming back to Cynthia, Ash admitted that his Mom and Sophie had overrated. This separation plan would most probably be the latter's idea. She was always paranoid about her daughter's safety.

Ash felt frustration rise inside him a bit as his seventh birthday came to mind.

Though Ash couldn't blame her. She was her mother, after all. It was her right to be angry.

But he still believed that she overreacted!

After two weeks or so, Ash managed to cover a sizable distance and was nearly at the end of Rock Tunnel. He'll be at the end in about two or three days.

"Excited to get out?" Ash questioned the Pikachu on his shoulder. Zeus nodded excitedly, wanting to leave the tunnel as soon as possible. "Me too. Never expected our stay in the tunnel to be so taxing." Zeus nodded.

"Hey Zeus, I wanted to ask." Ash began. "Why did you stop your pranks? You really liked pranking everyone in our team but ever since we entered Rock Tunnel, you've stopped." Zeus nodded.

He gave the best answer he could manage, obviously hindered by the language barrier between them. Ash managed to get the main answer though.

"You grew out of it?" Zeus nodded. "After evolving, you feel like you're too old to prank anyone huh?" the Electric Mouse nodded. "You shouldn't feel like that Zeus."

Zeus gave him a confused look at that. Charmander, who had been sleeping, poked his head out to listen on their conversation. "You really enjoyed pranking, right?" Zeus nodded. "Then why stop now? We're always young at our heart."

"You can stop if you don't find the heart to do them but never let pressurized to let go of an aspect of your personality." Zeus nodded, contemplating it. "So, onto a lighter topic." Ash continued.

The duo of Pokémon continued conversing after that. Ash, who had noticed Charmander had woken up, included him in the chat as well.

After three days of continuous slow travelling did Ash manage to reach the end of the Rock Tunnel. Accompanying him on this special moment was his starter Mystic.

"Finally!" Ash exclaimed and then winced a bit. "I think we all have enough of caves for lifetime, right?" Ash joked to the Evolution Pokémon. She nodded. She won't go in a cave willingly in the near future that was for sure.

"Reaching here was one hell of a journey though." Ash commented, thinking about the process. "First, I was coming here with Cynthia. Then, all that ordeal with Melanie." He thought. "Then, I came here alone with my team. Fought Rhydon and got two strong Pokémon in my team. Then, Charmander hatched." Ash said, glancing at the asleep Fire Type in his bag. "Now, we're at the end."

Mystic nodded. Despite all the complaining they did about Rock Tunnel, it was actually a nice turning point for them. For Ash, it meant travelling alone. It helped him reflect on his life.

For Viper, it was her breaking point. Her _façade_ broke here. Her real face came forward and she decided to be at ease with them.

For Charmander, it was the place he had hatched, the first place he put foot on. His story begins from Rock Tunnel.

For Skylar, it meant the first time she had to get separated from them and spend time in Professor Oak's lab. Now that Skylar was mentioned, Mystic wondered how the avian had spent her time. She must be angry.

"The Pokémon Center isn't that far from here." Ash told her. "Let's go then!" Renewed with the prospect of sleeping at ease, Ash sped up.

After about fifteen minutes the Palletian reached the center and entered inside. One of the first things Ash noticed was how oddly empty it looked.

Normally, a Pokémon Center had a lot of people, ranging from trainers to researchers to casual tourists. This Pokémon Center, however, had none of them. Even Nurse Joy seemed really bored as she awaited someone.

"Hello Nurse Joy." Ash spoke up. The Nurse's face lit up in joy at the sight of him. "Can you heal my Pokémon? We've just come from a long journey through Rock Tunnel."

"That's what I'm here for." The Nurse smiled brightly. Ash handed over his two normal pokéball, one dusk ball, and one Luxury Ball and Mystic jumped on the counter. "Anything else?"

"A couple of things, actually." Ash replied. "First, I need a room. Second, can you check my Charmander as well?" Ash reached inside his backpack and scooped the Fire Type out, wrapped in his fireproof blanket delicately.

"You've got six Pokémon?" She commented. Ash shook his head.

"I haven't officially caught him yet." Ash replied. "I already have six Pokémon. He would've just been sealed inside."

"Lastly," Ash continued. "I got into a fight with a territorial Pokémon in Rock Tunnel." Ash gestured to himself. "Got hurt around my torso. Can you check that up as well?"

Nurse Joy nodded. She took the sleeping Charmander from Ash and called for her Chansey. "I need your pokedex please." Ash handed over his half-white pokedex. "I'll register you in a moment."

Nurse Joy handed the baby Charmander to Chansey and took Ash's pokedex. Typing something coming from experience, she quickly registered Ash up and handed him back his pokedex along with a key.

"You can go get refreshed in your room. I'll check up your Pokémon in the meantime, okay?" Ash nodded and took off for his room. _'I need to send Rhydon, Zeus, and Oceanus to Professor Oak as well. Skylar must be real angry on me.'_

Ash reached his room and entered inside, dropping his bag on the bed and heading into the shower. He'll take a rest after he finished all his duties.

Ash spent a decent amount of time in the shower, cleansing himself clean of any dirt as well as taking off his bandages. Rock Tunnel had done a number on his appearance and his clothes. Ash wanted to remedy that.

Coming out of the bathroom, Ash headed downstairs. "You ready?" Nurse Joy asked. Ash nodded. She told her Chansey to handle the counter in case someone arrived, though it didn't exactly look like it, and gestured Ash to follow her.

The two reached a room and Ash was told to lie down on a bed. "Take off your shirt please." She said. Ash nodded and took it off, revealing his injury.

Nurse Joy checked the injury carefully and professionally. "You'll recover pretty soon." She told him. "Will take about three weeks though." She added. Ash's eyes widened at that.

"That'll mess with my plans." Ash replied. He had originally planned to go after Gyms right after leaving Rock Tunnel so he'll have a lot of time in the later stages.

"Well, you need to heal up properly." Nurse Joy reprimanded. "Or do you want such a crippling injury to hinder you for life?" Ash shook his head. "You won't be able to do much until it doesn't heal anyway." Nurse Joy added matter of fact.

"Ok then." Ash sighed. "What medicine do I need to take though?"

"I'll get you all that in a minute." Nurse Joy answered. "First, get up and eat something." Ash nodded and wore his shirt back down. Getting up, he decided the first course of action to be eating something.

"How long until my Pokémon get healed?" Ash asked.

"They're pretty much okay. Just resting." She replied. "They aren't ready for battling or training yet though. I suggest letting them be for now."

"I was going to send them to Professor Oak actually." Ash said. "I need to officially capture Charmander and call my Pidgeotto back as well."

"Your Charmander's vitals are normal." Nurse Joy told him. "First time raising a Pokémon from its egg?" She asked. Ash nodded. "I'll explain you about how to handle one later on. Okay?"

"Sure." Ash got up. "I'm going to get something to eat now. Okay Nurse Joy?" She nodded and walked off, leaving the trainer alone. Ash ran a hand through his hair, sighing.

' _There goes another one of my plans.'_ Ash grumbled. He got up and headed for the cafeteria, wanting to silence his roaring stomach.

Xxx

"Hi Mom." Ash smiled.

"Hey Ash!" Delia replied. "So long since you've last called!"

"Yeah. I was in Rock Tunnel." Ash answered. "Got three new Pokémon from there."

"Really?" Delia asked in surprise. Ash nodded and held up Charmander.

"Charmander, that's my mother." Ash smiled. Charmander greeted Delia with a wave, having learned that from Ash.

"Hi Charmander!" Delia cooed. "You're so cute!" She gushed. "When did he hatch?"

"Just after I caught the other two Pokémon." Ash responded. "The other two are Lairon and Rhydon. Very skilled ones."

"Your Rhydon is very strong Ash." She intoned. "Are you sure you'll be able to handle it with your current skillset?" Ash shrugged.

"It's going to spend a lot of time in Professor Oak's lab. That's all I can tell." Ash muttered. Delia took note of his tone.

"Something wrong Ash?" She asked. Ash shook his head.

"I'll tell you later. Long story." Ash half lied. He could've easily summarized it in four phrases. Rhydon attacked, they fought, they nearly died, and Ash caught it.

"It isn't anything serious though, right?" Delia asked worriedly. Ash smiled reassuringly.

"It isn't anything like that. Don't worry." Ash smiled. Delia crossed her arms.

"Well, someone has to worry about your safety." She responded. "Especially since Cynthia isn't travelling with you anymore." Ash blinked.

"Wait, what?" Ash asked. Delia sighed.

"I'll tell you later. Long story." She imitated. Ash cracked a grin at that.

"No, seriously. What do you mean by that?" He asked.

"I actually felt more assured when she was with you." Delia admitted. "I only asked you to separate from her because Sophie asked me to. After all, I cannot let my selfish desires put Cynthia in jeopardy."

"Oh." Ash stayed quiet for a few moments. "Did you get contacted by her though?" Delia shook her head.

"I asked Sophie about it and she seemed pretty angry about it." Delia replied. "Maybe Cynthia didn't call?"

"Eh." Ash said. "So, how's Pallet Town? Anything interesting happened there?" The two chatted for a good while, catching up on events. Ash decided not to tell her about his near death experience. She already had enough to worry about.

"It was nice chatting with you." Ash told her. "But I need to cut this call short now." Delia nodded. "I need to talk to Professor Oak and then plan my next move."

"No problem dear." Delia smiled. "Stay safe Ash." Ash smiled back as the call cut. He then dialed up Professor Oak's digits and waited. The aged face of Professor Oak showed up after a few moments.

"Ash! My boy!" He exclaimed. "Where did you find such a powerful Rhydon? He's way above your current level."

"Rock Tunnel." Ash replied simply. "Got him only due to Type Advantage." Iron Tail, Leaf Blades and other Grass Type attacks were the only reason Ash was capable to defeat the Drill Pokémon.

"I guess you want to exchange Pokémon." Ash nodded.

"Professor Oak, can I ask you a question?" The Palletian asked. The renowned Professor nodded. "Should I keep Rhydon or trade him?"

"Why would you want to trade him?" Professor Oak questioned.

"Let's just say our battle wasn't pretty." Ash answered vaguely. "What do you suggest?"

"Well, it's on a trainer whether they would like to trade their Pokémon or not." He began. "However, I suggest keeping him." Professor Oak continued his clarification. "Though you didn't have that pretty of a meeting with him, everyone deserves a second chance. Plus, Rhydon have a very versatile move pool. Yours is pretty strong in that department."

"Hm." Ash bit his inner lip. "Oh right," Ash pulled out Rhydon's pokéball. "I want you to keep him at the lab for the time being." Ash explained. "He was in pretty bad shape the last time I saw him."

"Beginning Transfer Process." Professor Oak said. The sealed pokéball was enveloped in white current and was converted into said matter. It transferred over to Professor Oak who picked it up. "Process Complete Successfully."

"Why do you say that anyway?" Ash wondered. "Have any transfer processes gone wrong?" Professor Samuel Oak nodded.

"Technology is never fool proof." He answered. "So, who else do you want to send?"

"Zeus and Oceanus." Ash replied. "I need a spot for Charmander, and want Skylar back as well."

"Oh, your Pidgeotto." Professor Oak chuckled. "She's actually really cross on you. You told her about a month or so. But it's been more than that."

"Yeah." Ash sighed. "Just some issues. That's why." Professor Oak got up.

"I'll go get your bird." He informed him and walked off. Ash smiled and readied his two pokéball. The professor returned moments later, flashing Ash's second capture.

Ash put Zeus's and Oceanus's pokéball in their places, readying his side. Professor Oak initiated the process, following the standard process. Once done, Ash picked Skylar's pokéball.

"Anything else Ash?" Professor Oak questioned.

"Do you know where Cynthia might be now?" It had been more than two months since Ash last talked to the blonde. He missed her every now and then.

"Unfortunately no." Professor Oak shook his head. "I have her Pokégear number though. Want it?" Ash gave him a confused look.

"Where did she get a pokégear?"

"You can get Pokégear at a Pokémon Center by filling in a form. You can try getting one." He suggested. Ash nodded.

"Thanks Professor." Samuel nodded and gave Ash his childhood friend's number. Ash smiled once he acquired it. "Chat you later Professor." He nodded and cut the call.

Ash got up and approached Nurse Joy. "I have your medicine ready Ash." Ash nodded.

"I'll take them in a minute but first, can you tell me about the requirements for a Pokégear?" Nurse Joy nodded and handed him a form.

Ten minutes later, Ash had his own Pokégear. "Take these painkillers only when you feel the pain turn unbearable." Nurse Joy instructed. "Understood?" Ash nodded.

Ash grabbed his medicine and entered his room. Smiling excitedly, Ash placed them in his room and typed in Cynthia's number. "Ready to meet your… mother?" Ash began excitedly but ended awkwardly.

Charmander nodded. He couldn't wait! Ash chuckled as his tail flame burned brighter at the prospect. Ash typed in her number, double checking it, and began the call.

'Ringing' the screen said. Ash felt really excited, feeling his heart make loops inside his chest. The Palletian wondered just what had occurred to him and saw Charmander matching his enthusiasm.

The call connected.

" _Hello?"_ Cynthia's voice spoke.

"Hello blondie." Ash began in a teasing voice. "Miss me?"

" _Ash?!"_ She exclaimed from the other end. _"You also got a Pokégear huh?"_

"Yeah. Don't think you can flex on me now." Ash replied.

" _Wasn't planning on it."_ The excitement in her voice was evident. _"Where are you currently?"_

"At the other end of Rock Tunnel."

" _So late?"_ The blonde questioned.

"Yeah. Let's just say I got trapped." Ash winced.

" _Tell me in detail Ash, what happened?"_ Cynthia questioned, concern dripping from her voice.

"A very strong Rhydon decided to attack us. Mystic, that's the nickname I've given to Eevee by the way, and Oceanus got knocked out real early. Viper, that's Snivy, came in and managed to save me. Right after, a Lairon hit Rhydon and got brutally knocked."

" _Oh my."_ Cynthia commented.

"I caught the Lairon to protect it from Rhydon. Rhydon attacked and it was only due to Viper and Zeus's efforts that I'm alive. I managed to catch him in a Dusk Ball after he had knocked both of them out. Suffering a _very_ small injury right now."

" _Tell me you didn't lose a limb."_ Cynthia's sarcastic reply came.

"Jeez blondie." Ash retaliated. "Where did you learn to talk like that from? Gary?"

" _Yeah, he accompanied me till Saffron."_ Cynthia admitted. _"Met Leaf there!"_

"Nice." Ash added. "Anyway, I'm suffering from some broken ribs. Nurse Joy says it'll take two to three weeks until I can continue my journey."

" _I leave you for two months only and you nearly die."_ Cynthia muttered.

"Well, you were my saving charm." Ash teased. "Anyway, my egg hatched!"

" _How's Charmander?"_ The orange Fire Type, who had been listening his 'mother's' voice, perked at his name.

"He's with me at the moment." Ash told her. "Charmander, say hi." Charmander growled a greeting.

" _Nice to meet you too Charmander. Can't wait to meet you face to face!"_ Cynthia smiled. _"Where are we meeting btw?"_

"I don't know." Ash admitted. "Where are you heading to right now?"

" _Fuchsia City."_ Cynthia answered. _"Will take me one more month until I reach there."_

"Why are you going to Fuchsia so early?" Ash asked in surprise. "Shouldn't you challenge Lt. Surge and Erika first?"

" _Lt. Surge can wait. I already defeated Erika."_ Cynthia told him.

"How was Erika? Easy?" Ash questioned.

" _She's actually pretty hard to defeat. Don't underestimate her."_ Cynthia warned. _"Maybe she got a League Notice or something, but she's taking it pretty hard and brutally defeating any careless trainer."_

'"Sounds like someone got wrecked." Ash teased.

" _Don't remind me that."_ Cynthia grumbled. _"Be careful. Her Tangela needs more than brute force to defeat."_

"I'll keep that in mind." Ash noted. "Anything else?"

" _Find out yourself. Why should I spoil your fun?"_ Cynthia chuckled.

"Your wish then." Ash replied. "Where are we meeting though?"

" _When do you plan to come to Vermillion City?"_ Cynthia asked. Ash mentally calculated his plans.

"I'll go to Lavender Town first. Then I'll head to Saffron and then to Celadon most probably. _Then_ I'll head to Vermillion."

" _Sounds like a pretty large plan."_ Cynthia commented. _"I don't know where we can meet then Ash. Our travel plans don't intersect at all."_

"Bummer." Ash grumbled. "Where will you go after Fuchsia?"

" _Vermillion. Haven't planned after that though."_ The two thought of a plan to meet. Charmander, who had gotten bored from their chatting, left to wander the room.

"We'll plan something later." Ash assured her. "How did you meet Gary though? And how in the world did _you two_ get along?"

" _I'm actually surprised myself."_ Cynthia giggled. _"He's like, my least favorite person yet at the same time I travelled for some time with him. He's actually pretty nice once you get past his taunts."_

"Glad to hear." Ash commented dryly. "How much have you changed Cynthia? I leave you alone and the next time we talk you're praising Gary. What'll happen next? The Legendary Birds will fight?" Ash commented sarcastically.

" _Aren't the Legendary Birds Extinct?"_ Cynthia asked. _"They haven't been seen from the last century."_

"There _were_ sighting rumors." Ash defended. "Anyway, did you talk to your mom?"

"Yeah." The blonde sighed. "She's still pissed at you."

"Doesn't surprise me." Ash snorted. "Anyway, I'm going to take my medicine now. So, I guess I'll talk to you later."

" _Sure. Take care Ash."_ Cynthia wished.

"Charmander, say goodbye to your Mother." The words slipped out of Ash's mouth. Charmander returned from his expedition and gave a growl in the Pokégear.

" _Who's your Father Charmander?"_ Cynthia asked innocently.

"That's me." Ash replied after a moment.

" _Okay."_ Cynthia stretched the word. A very awkward silence followed. _"Take care Charmander. Take care of your daddy too. Mommy will see you soon, okay?"_

Charmander gave a cheerful growl in return. Ash rubbed Charmander's head. "Bye for now blondie. When's your egg hatching though?"

" _It already has."_ That surprised Ash.

"Who is it?" Ash questioned.

" _Meet me and find out."_ Cynthia teased.

"Haha. Very funny." Ash laughed sarcastically. "Tell me Cynthia."

" _Um…"_ Cynthia seemed to contemplate the question. _"How about no?"_

"Okay then." Ash grumbled. "Chat you later blondie."

" _Bye Ashy boy."_

"Just cut the call for God's sake." Ash snarled well naturedly. That was the third goodbye they had exchanged! The blonde chuckled at his reaction.

" _Miss you a lot Ash."_ Cynthia cut the call then. Ash couldn't help the smile that spread on his lips. Ash got up from his bed and raised a pokéball.

"How was it talking to your Mother?" Ash questioned. Charmander cheered happily. "Let's welcome you to the team officially Charmander."

Charmander nodded and Ash placed the pokéball in front of him. The Fire Type tapped the button in front and was sucked inside. The ball wobbled once before dinging.

Ash picked the pokéball and released him out. Charmander came out and cheered. "Welcome to the team Charmander." Ash hugged him. He hugged back.

' _Only Lairon remains now.'_ Ash thought. _'Rhydon does too actually but I don't want to do anything with him currently.'_ That was his entire team's decision. Rhydon was no joke. He alone destroyed his team plus Lairon.

Lairon and the others were with Nurse Joy except Charmander and Skylar. Ash had to talk to the Flying/Normal Type as well and spend some time with her.

They had finally exited Rock Tunnel. One arc in Ash's journey had ended and the next waits to begin. Will it bring happy endings or tragic beginnings for our protagonists?

Find out, in the next chapter of Conqueror!

Xxx

 **And done! I have to sit through midnight just to ensure the chapter gets completed and uploaded! Review to show your support if you desire more quick updates! The next chapter will follow Cynthia's rematch against Erika. We all know she wins but why is she going to Fuchsia instead of Vermillion? Tell me your prediction in reviews!**

 **Until the next chapter then readers! R &R, stay safe, and stay blessed! This is soon to be favorite author LunarockMewtwo out!**

 **Response to Reviews:**

 _ **Cidinhoismeirm**_ **: Thanks for the review!**

 _ **Lucky007**_ **: Thanks for the suggestion bro! I have a lot of things planned, don't worry!**

 _ **UltimateCCC**_ **: Yup.**

 _ **Guest**_ **: Glad to see people liking my art! Wild Pokémon are more or less like wild animals like lions etc. they can be pretty harmful. Hopefully I was able to put my point across.**

 _ **Hero of all**_ **: Glad you think so about my story. He'll keep Lairon, that's pretty much clear but I cannot say anything about Rhydon. And dragon Pokémon are pretty hard to find in the world so, there's that. About faster updates and longer chapters, that's where the issue persists. If I make faster updates, the chapters will be around 5k or 6k words. If I make longer chapters, updates will take much more time. It's inversely proportional. Thanks for the suggestion though bro!**

 _ **Snoozing Lurker**_ **: That's reassuring. Zeus and the others will get more screen time, don't worry. They'll have their own moments just like Viper had in the previous one. Don't worry. And about Aron, he's released. His role ended before even beginning lol.**

 _ **Issei182:**_ **Thanks for the review!**


	16. Rematch

**Here's another chapter! A bit longer than my previous uploads! So, without any further ado, let's begin!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.**

Xxx

 **Rematch!**

"Last time Erika trashed us." Cynthia told her Pokémon. "I wasn't prepared for such a battle." She admitted. "Given Erika's reputation, I really underestimated her."

Nidorino and Braixen agreed whole-heartedly. They really had not expected such a unique battler like Tangela to brutally destroy them. The others, being Buizel, Roselia, and Squirtle, took that in slowly.

"But since we know that now," A grin spread across Cynthia's face. "We can prepare much better." They cheered. "So guys, I got us some Multi-Use TMs. They'll help a lot in coverage."

Cynthia quickly explained to them what a Technical Machine did exactly and how it worked. "I'm going to return you guys now. I'll call you out after using the TMs." They nodded and were quickly returned to their pokéballs.

Cynthia brought out her TM case and quickly adjusted the pokéballs inside, setting it up. She activated the device and smiled as it worked its magic.

"Here we go." The blonde released her Pokémon after the process was complete. Her Pokémon came out, looking over themselves curiously. "Let's test them first." They nodded. The blonde had set up some targets for practicing.

"Ice Beam." Nidorino and Squirtle, who had been given the Ice Beam TM, took a moment before firing off an arcing cyan beam. The beam hit the targets, chilling them down and even causing a bit of ice to form.

Cynthia nodded. She had expected that much at the first use. They'll get stronger after practice. "Good job guys." She then made her next practice. "Thunderbolt."

Only Nidorino acted this time, the Electric Type attack shooting off his horn. It hit the target, though the aim was a bit off just like Ice Beam. Nothing that couldn't be remedied with practice though.

"Epic job Nidorino." She complimented. The blonde quickly went through the remaining moves. Solar Beam for Braixen and Roselia and Protect for almost everyone sans the Pokémon already knowing it.

"Nice." Cynthia smiled. She could already see Erika's demise. "We're going to practice these for the entire day. After that, we'll defeat Erika!" They cheered.

Defeating Erika was a good motivation for them, Cynthia smirked. The blonde briefly wondered just when she started to care about losing or winning or holding a grudge.

Cynthia pushed the thoughts aside for another time and focused on the training. No need to get distracted.

The training went smooth. Cynthia had pitted the Ice Beam users against the Pokémon practicing Protect so both sides could benefit. Braixen had to practice Solar Beam so it would take less charging time.

Roselia was able to utilize Solar Beam better than Braixen due to her typing. The blonde wasn't surprised by that. The major drawback of Solar Beam was its charging time though. She'll have to teach them Sunny Day later on.

Though the charging time could be lessened through practice and multiple uses, a Sunny Beam combo could wreak havoc and give Roselia access to much needed firepower.

Night came as their entire day went by training. During the small breaks they took in between, Cynthia interacted with her egg. The blonde was sure it would hatch soon since the egg acted up a bit when she talked to it.

She couldn't wait! The egg would be her first Pokémon that she'll raise from the very beginning! Nurse Joy had checked the egg and did confirm that it'll hatch soon. She was also kind enough to give her tips.

Right now though, Cynthia was in her room, scrolling through her pokedex. It wasn't that eventful of a day and she wasn't feeling like sleeping too.

' _I need to visit Suzie too.'_ Cynthia mentally reminded herself. _'I'll challenge Erika first thing tomorrow and then visit Scissor Street. Hopefully she wouldn't charge me too. I'm pretty low on funds.'_

The blonde revised a few of her strategies. Nidorino and Braixen were going to participate in the Gym Battle but she wasn't sure about the last Pokémon.

That was poor planning on her part, but Cynthia wasn't sure on what to expect from Erika. She had expected her to be a passive fighter, relying more on status ailments and traps than attack.

Her Tangela was a really unorthodox fighter. Cynthia was unable to wrap her mind around his battle style. He could fight excellently in close range, was immune of status ailments due to Leaf Guard, and his Solar Beam wrecked the foe.

The blonde scrolled for Tangela and found his sight. Clicking it, she decided to read a bit about the Vine Pokémon. The blonde wouldn't mind adding one to her rooster.

"That's impressive." Cynthia mumbled as she read more about its capabilities. Though she figured out some faults too. The blonde thought of a nice counter to Tangela.

She couldn't help the smirk on her face as a very simple method made itself known. If Nidorino could learn it, then Tangela would be hard pressed to fight. The blonde got up from her leaning position and began to dig more information on it.

Work Up, a move that roused up the user and made its attacking strength more stronger. Nidorino's physical strength was already formidable, but foes like Tangela made it difficult to properly utilize it.

With Work Up, Nidorino could easily overpower Tangela in close combat and make short work of the Vine Pokémon. Tangela had strong defenses but she had no doubt Nidorino's Work Up boosted Poison Jab wouldn't penetrate.

Cynthia made a note in her pokégear about the move and searched up Kanto's map. Her pokégear showed the map and she began to plan her next move.

"I should head to Lt. Surge next." Cynthia mumbled. However, Lt. Surge was known for his brutal fighting tactics and the blonde wasn't sure her team could handle him.

Sure, they could train over the way but Cynthia was beginning to feel less confident in herself. After losing against Erika, her confidence had rather taken a drastic fall, though she did her best to hide it.

She had majorly won the battles through Route 7 yet Erika trashed her. The blonde needed some time to herself, to rebuild her confidence. To gather herself.

"I could go to Fuchsia." Cynthia mumbled, finger twirling a lock of golden hair. "But I'm low on supplies and also don't have that much money." It was now the blonde was regretting her expensive shopping. The TM would help but she should have held some restrain.

If she managed to defeat Erika, it would give her some money and she might be able to manage her long trek to Fuchsia. If only Ash was here with her.

The blonde sighed as her childhood friend's face appeared. She really missed him. Ash always knew how to cheer her up and make her feel confident.

Just like how she felt overwhelmed at Cerulean's Gym and he snapped her out of it. The blonde wondered whether her battle with Erika would've turned out different if Ash was there.

For all she knew, Ash would be in Rock Tunnel, training in the rocky cavern against powerful Pokémon. She wanted to meet him. It had been a while since they've last met.

The blonde shook her head to clear the thoughts, and planned her next move. She'll go to Vermillion most probably. It wasn't confirmed since she wanted to head to Fuchsia instead but her supplies said otherwise.

The blonde stretched. "I'll figure it out after defeating Erika." Cynthia muttered and placed her material on the side table. She got up, deciding to prepare for bed.

Once Nidorino learned Work Up, she'll fight Erika. Until then, she'll work hard.

Her confidence couldn't take another hit.

Xxx

Nidorino had learned Work Up pretty quickly, surprisingly. Cynthia had him boost up using Work Up and charge against Braixen, pitting the two to fight.

It was a rather strange matchup but one she should've done earlier. Nidorino needed to fight against a fast opponent like Braixen. Though not the fastest, Braixen certainly held enough speed to give Nidorino a hard time.

Braixen didn't have many strong moves except Flamethrower and the new Solar Beam and her only physical options were Fire hit, Fire Charge, Quick Attack, and Scratch.

Cynthia wondered if she could upgrade her Scratch into something stronger. She had a rough idea which would surely be exploited later on.

Nidorino was a more rounded fighter than Braixen, the blonde would admit. With the new addition of Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, and Protect, he had nice coverage. The blonde wanted to teach him Mega Horn too. It was a strong move, and strong against Grass Types.

Cynthia had looked up Horn Attack and it was a bit of a complex move to use. Nidorino wouldn't be able to learn it in time for the Gym Battle tomorrow that was for sure. She'll have to risk it.

The blonde couldn't waste any more of her time in Celadon City. She wanted to defeat Erika as soon as possible and leave. Celadon may be less polluted than Saffron due to the greenery, but Cynthia wanted to explore the wild again.

She'll crave for civilization later on, but right now she wanted to escape it.

It was noon by the time Nidorino finished his training for Work Up. The blonde decided to challenge Erika after Nidorino and Braixen got checked and healed up from their light battle.

The blonde herself went for lunch, thinking over her strategies. Cynthia idly realized that she was overworking herself for the battle and should just believe in herself.

' _Be ready Erika.'_

Xxx

"Hello dear." The girl at the reception greeted. "Are you here for a rematch?" Cynthia nodded. "Erika has been hard on trainers a lot these days. Don't feel bad." She told her with an apologetic look.

"I'm not." Cynthia replied. The receptionist took her pokedex and quickly registered her up for her Gym Battle.

"Same arena." She told her. "She's battling a trainer already but his battle will most probably be at its end. Good luck."

"Thanks." The blonde pocketed her pokedex and headed for the battlefield. She entered and saw Erika hard pressed against the challenger.

The blonde took her seat as a spectator, looking at the match. She felt a bit surprised at the accent of the trainer. "Dodge into Thunder Punch!" His Electabuzz slammed his fist into the Victreebal's side.

' _He's skilled.'_ Cynthia thought as the purple haired trainer pressed on, keeping Erika on the edge of the rope. He was a more offensively oriented battler than most trainers she had seen. The blonde couldn't help but feel happy seeing Erika's expression.

Victreebal finally fainted after a Thunderbolt and Erika returned her. The referee finished the match and declared the challenger, Paul, she heard, the winner.

"You're one strong trainer." Erika commented. Paul simply nodded. "Here's your Rainbow Badge." Paul took the badge from her palm and pocketed it, turning on his feet.

Cynthia got off her seat, taking her position. Erika looked at her and smiled. "Ready for your rematch Cynthia?" The blonde nodded. "I hope you're more prepared this time."

"Oh, you worry about yourself more." Cynthia replied. "Try not to maintain a defeat streak."

"Same can be said about you." Erika grinned. "Give me a minute." She walked off, leaving Cynthia alone.

"You from Sinnoh?" The blonde turned around and saw Paul.

"Yeah. You too." She said. Paul nodded. "How did you notice though? My accent?" He nodded. "You battled pretty nicely out there. Look skilled."

"If you say so." He shrugged. "You lost to Erika before?" Cynthia nodded, face flushing a bit. "Shouldn't have underestimated her."

"Yeah." Cynthia sighed. "Your name's Paul?" She asked for confirmation. Paul nodded. "My name's Cynthia." She extended a hand. Paul clasped her hand with his, shaking it. "Nice to meet you."

"Ready Cynthia?" Erika questioned. The blonde turned around and saw the Gym Leader standing there, three Pokémon in her hands. She nodded.

"Guess we'll meet later." Cynthia smiled. Paul nodded and turned on his heel. Hands in his pockets, the Sinnoh native walked out of the gym.

"He's one strong trainer." Erika told the blonde. "I'll say he's better than you too."

"That's assuring." Cynthia readied herself.

"The battle between the Challenger Cynthia Carolina and Gym Leader Erika is about to begin! Each side will use three Pokémon and the battle will be over when one side is out of Pokémon! Only the challenger can substitute Pokémon!" The referee stated. "Select your Pokémon!"

"Hope you've prepared better this time." Erika remarked, tossing a pokéball. Her Vine Pokémon came out, bouncing happily just as before. Cynthia smirked in response and threw her own Pokémon, releasing her Nidorino.

"Ready Nidorino?" Cynthia questioned her first capture. The Poison Pin Pokémon nodded, growling at Tangela intimidatingly. Cynthia had prepared for the Grass Type. She was pretty confident in this matchup.

"Are both trainers ready?" The referee questioned. The two females nodded and he swung his flags down. "Then let the battle begin!" Nidorino immediately fired off Poison Stings towards Tangela.

"Dodge dear. Then Vine Whip." Tangela dodged the pins easily and sent a few of his vines towards Nidorino.

"Fury Attack Nidorino!" Cynthia hollered. "Then Focus Energy!" Nidorino growled and jabbed at the vines with his horn, stabbing the vines and forcing them back. Tangela pulled his vines back lest get poisoned.

"Sunny Day Tangela." Erika murmured. Tangela changed the weather to his advantage, feeling refreshed. It also activated his ability Leaf Guard. Cynthia had expected that anyway.

"Work Up Nidorino." Cynthia ordered. She expected this much from Tangela and made sure to prepare.

"Solar Beam Tangela." Cynthia's eyes widened a bit at the aggressive style Erika was showing. Tangela swiftly charged up his Solar Beam courtesy of the Sunny Day and fired off the powerful blast.

"Ice Beam!" Cynthia retaliated. No use hiding her triumph card now. Nidorino fired off the Ice type move, the arcing beam meeting the Solar Beam.

Both collided and exploded against the other, cloaking the middle in smoke. Cynthia smiled as Nidorino took off in the smoke, no doubt trying to deal some damage to Tangela.

The Vine Pokémon, who was looking in the smoke with curiosity, felt someone approaching and jumped out of the way of a Poison Sting. He felt Nidorino tackle him from the side and deal heavy damage with Poison Jab.

Tangela stumbled back, stunned from the sudden move. Nidorino roared and launched a follow up Ice Beam which Tangela managed to block with Protect.

Nidorino, not giving up, rushed in and delivered a powerful Double Kick to the barrier. It cracked, and Nidorino quickly boosted himself with Focus Energy and broke through with Poison Jab.

Tangela threw his vines forward, the appendages wrapping around Nidorino and pushing him back. Nidorino strained against the vines, inching closer to Tangela who tried his best to push him away.

"Slam him down!" Erika ordered. Tangela quickly adjusted his vines for a proper grip and lifted Nidorino up. Cynthia was prepared for this strategy.

"Confusion!" Cynthia commanded. Nidorino, who had been trained for such situations, used Confusion on _himself,_ slowing down his momentum and landing softly. "Now Work up and Fury Attack!"

"Shock Wave now!" Erika commanded hastily. Tangela released current in his vines, shocking the Poison Pin Pokémon wrapped in them. Nidorino didn't care and pushed through, stabbing through the vines into Tangela repeatedly.

Cynthia smirked as Nidorino continued to deal damage to Tangela. This was going much better than the first match. Erika herself was gritting her teeth and struggling to find a counter.

"Push him back!" She commanded. Tangela wrapped his vines once again against Nidorino and pushed him back with all his might. Nidorino _roared,_ boosting up with Work Up, and pushed through.

"Poison Jab!" Nidorino stabbed Tangela again, delivering potent poison in his body. The Sunny Day overhead activated his Leaf Guard, however, and the poison was neutralized.

"Stun Spore!" Erika ordered. Cynthia's eyes widened. She had completely forgotten about that!

"Double Kick and Confusion! Kick him away!" The blonde instructed. Nidorino raised his fore legs and kicked Tangela hard; attack boosted nicely due to Work Up, and used Confusion to hit Tangela on both fronts.

Tangela, who was unable to resist any of the two hits, was sent rolling back towards Erika. "Ice Beam!" Nidorino quickly followed up with the arcing tri cyan colored beams.

"Protect into Grass Knot Tangela." Erika ordered calmly. Tangela used his vines to stop his rolling and formed the green barrier. The Ice Beam struck the barrier and got blocked easily. One of Tangela's hands touched the ground and the grass shifted, turning into knots made to trip the foe. "Now Sunny Day into Synthesis."

"Focus Energy into Poison Sting Nidorino." Cynthia ordered. Nidorino shut his eyes for a moment, focusing his attention, and unleashed the needles of poison.

"Power Whip Tangela." Erika ordered. Tangela whacked the needles away once again while using Synthesis simultaneously. Cynthia looked at the Grass Knot and decided to get rid of it first.

"Poison Sting on the grass! Eliminate the Grass Knot first." Cynthia instructed. Nidorino adjusted his aim, hitting the knots in the grass and withering them away.

Erika made a wrinkled noise as her lush green grass withered. "Solar Beam Tangela!" Cynthia smirked. The princess was having anger issues now.

"Retaliate with Ice Beam!" Cynthia ordered. Once again, the two beams cancelled the other out. Nidorino rushed into the smoke again, finding a nice chance to hit Tangela.

"Grass Knot!" Nidorino didn't expect the grass to turn into knots again and trip him down. "So predictable." Erika commented. "Solar Beam!" Cynthia snarled at the obvious trap. Erika was pretty clever.

Well, so was she.

"Protect!" Nidorino formed a green barrier of his own, blocking the powerful Solar Beam. An explosion rang around him, forming smoke which cloaked the Poison Type.

"Ice Beam again!" Cynthia ordered. "Tangela cannot use Solar Beam so quickly again!" Nidorino hastily formed his Ice Type attack and fired it towards Tangela.

"Protect." Tangela blocked it with his own Protect. Nidorino rushed in on Tangela, Poison Jab ready. As the last of Ice Beam struck the Protect, Nidorino appeared in front of the Vine Pokémon and slammed his horn in.

"Nice." Erika remarked as Tangela's Protect broke against the Poison Jab and Nidorino struck him repeatedly with Fury Attack. "You've improved a lot from last time." Erika commented, looking at Cynthia.

"You haven't seen anything yet Erika." Cynthia retorted. "Let's see if you're prepared this time."

"Trainers like you are always there to judge me." Erika replied with disdain. "It's high time I decided to shut you up." Cynthia blinked. Where had that come from?

Tangela dodged the next couple of Fury Attack and slammed his vines on Nidorino's eyes. The Poison Type let out a grunt as his eyes were forced to close and the Vine Pokémon blasted him away with another Solar Beam.

Nidorino endured the blast and fired back with Ice Beam, trading heavy damage. The Vine Pokémon stumbled back, looking ready to faint. Nidorino himself was panting a bit from the battle though he was much better than Tangela.

"Focus Energy into Poison Sting Nidorino!" Cynthia ordered. Nidorino roared and unleashed his stinging needles again. Tangela dodged them and leapt towards Nidorino suddenly.

"Constrict!" Erika commanded. Tangela threw his vines and they wrapped around the Poison Pin Pokémon tightly, restraining his movement. "Now use Stun Spore!"

"Rip him off you with Confusion!" Cynthia hollered. "Then finish it with Double Kick! Fury Attack if need be!" Nidorino focused on his psychic capabilities, attacking Tangela.

The Vine Pokémon didn't give in though, sticking tightly to him and spread paralyzing pollen over him. Nidorino growled as he felt his muscles freeze and his movement was constricted.

Erika smiled and called for a Mega Drain. Cynthia was ready though. "Thunderbolt!" Nidorino's horn sparkled with electricity and, digging his legs in the ground, let it loose.

Tangela let out a pained cry and his vines lost a bit of their grip. "Shake him off!" Nidorino shook his body erratically, jumping in the air and landing on his side.

Tangela, already tired from the battle, was unable to hold on and got thrown off. Cynthia smirked triumphantly and called for an Ice Beam. Nidorino blasted the downed Tangela with the cyan beam, making him cry out.

"Tangela is unable to continue!" The referee declared after Tangela had stopped moving. "Nidorino is the winner! Gym Leader Erika, send out your next Pokémon!"

Erika returned her Grass Type and glanced at Cynthia. The blonde was crouched down next to Nidorino and praising him. The Grass Type Specialist couldn't help the smile on her lips and selected her next pokéball.

"Not many rookie trainers are able to get past my Tangela." She informed Cynthia. The blonde got up and looked at her. "He doesn't get challenged that much."

"But that doesn't mean you have won just yet!" Erika tossed her second pokéball. "Ivysaur, I choose you!" Cynthia raised an eyebrow at the second staged Pokémon.

She looked at Nidorino and his labored breathing. "Return for now Nidorino." Cynthia told him. "I'll call you out later." Returning her protective Pokémon, the blonde chose her next pokéball. "Go Braixen!"

The Fire Type came out face set into a determined look. Erika smiled at her appearance. "Ready Ivysaur?" She questioned her Grass/Poison Type. Ivysaur nodded.

"Ivysaur vs. Braixen! Battle Begin!" The referee began. Ivysaur growled and shot his vines towards the Fire Type who whacked them with her stick.

"Flame Burst Braixen!" Cynthia ordered. She didn't know much about how Erika's Ivysaur worked. She needed to get a feel for it first. Braixen inhaled and spat quick bursts of fire.

Ivysaur darted between the blasts, a sweet smell emanating from his bulb. Braixen readied her stick, igniting the tip on fire, and rushed forwards.

"Skull Bash dear." Bulbasaur lowered his skull and pushed forward. Braixen, feeling the force behind said strike, cleverly dodged the attack by side stepping and swung her stick down.

Bulbasaur endured the hit on his side without much difficulty and skidded to a stop. Sending vines forward, he tried to get the Fire Fox in them.

Braixen whacked them away, not giving in either. Ivysaur emitted more of his Sweet Scent, making Braixen slack. Cynthia realized it and ordered a Flamethrower.

Ivysaur endured the flames, his form getting enveloped in them. Cynthia noted that the Sunny Day had worn off, taking their advantage with it.

"Stay alert Braixen!" Cynthia called out. "Don't fall victim to the Sweet Scent!" Braixen stopped her Flamethrower and saw Ivysaur in a surprisingly good condition.

"Take Down!" Ivysaur lunged forwards, slamming into Braixen and sending him stumbling back. "Toxic now!"

"Get away with Quick Attack!" Cynthia ordered hastily, wondering just how strong Ivysaur's defenses were. Braixen quickly found her footing and dashed back, creating a gap between them.

"Grass Pledge!" Ivysaur growled and pillars made of sharp leaves rose in the air. He sent them towards Braixen who jumped between them with Quick Attack. "Now Vine Whip!"

"Flamethrower!" Cynthia countered. Braixen inhaled and let loose another blast of flames. Ivysaur changed to Take Down, rushing between the flames to Cynthia's surprise.

Braixen intensified her flames, wanting to capitalize on the moment. She did now expect for Ivysaur to actually _push_ through the flames and tackle her face.

Braixen stumbled back and Ivysaur wrapped his vines around her. Pulling her in, he bit into her neck, delivering potent toxic in her body. Braixen slammed her stick into his belly, making him gasp and spun, whacking him again with greater momentum.

Ivysaur hit the ground, growling a bit at the hit. Cynthia saw light bend a little strangely around Ivysaur and she came to a realization. "Light Screen! Ivysaur has Light Screen active!"

"Finally, you figured it out." Erika smirked. "Magical Leaves!" Ivysaur shook his petals, sending glowing leaves towards the Fox Pokémon. Braixen unleashed gout of flames, burning the leaves.

"Rush in with Quick Attack Braixen!" Cynthia ordered. Braixen readied her stick and ran in. Erika gave Cynthia a pitying look.

"Protect." As Braixen almost reached Ivysaur, a green barrier slammed into her, sending her stumbling back. Ivysaur slammed into her again with Take Down. "Venoshock."

"Hypnosis Braixen!" As Ivysaur landed on Braixen, pinning her down to make sure his attack hit, the Fox Pokémon stared into his eyes hypnotizing.

"Get away!" Erika yelled in alarm. Braixen grabbed Ivysaur, forcefully making contact. The evolved form of Bulbasaur decided to use Venoshock instead.

Braixen screamed from the pain but her Hypnosis managed to lull Ivysaur into sleep. Cynthia grinned a bit, and then saw Braixen suffer from the Toxic. She needed to end this battle fast.

"Back to back Fire Hit!" Braixen lifted her stick and began to whack Ivysaur hard. Erika bit her lower lip and looked at Cynthia who was staring at Braixen anxiously.

"You're pretty clever." She remarked. "I didn't really expect this much from you." Cynthia blinked at the praise. "Given our first battle, I thought you'll leave me for later. Not many trainers can endure such a humiliating defeat."

"I'm partly at blame too." The blonde admitted. "I shouldn't have underestimated you. You're the Gym Leader for a reason." Erika's smile turned sour at that.

"Your Braixen is about to faint." She commented. Cynthia looked at her starter and found her panting heavily.

"End this with Flamethrower! The Light Screen is no more!" Braixen switched to Flamethrower, the scathing flames running over the sleeping Ivysaur.

Erika stared at the scene before sighing. Braixen's Flamethrower ended and she dropped face first down, right on top of the knocked out Ivysaur.

"Ivysaur and Braixen both are unable to continue!" The referee called. "Trainers, choose your Pokémon!" Cynthia returned Braixen, giving it well deserved praise. Erika did likewise.

"Hope you're ready for this one." Erika grinned. "Go Gloom!" Cynthia blinked as a blue, bipedal Pokémon with a large dark brown flower on its head appeared.

The second thing she noticed was the horrifying stench. She felt like vomiting and quickly covered her face with her sleeve. Erika seemed used to it though.

"My ace Pokémon, Gloom. Get through her and you'll win the Rainbow Badge!" Cynthia thought about her choice. Nidorino was a physical fighter so a big no.

Braixen had fainted or Cynthia would have opted for her. Flamethrower would've worked like a charm. Roselia could battle but Cynthia wasn't sure that she'll be capable of defeating Erika at her forte.

Squirtle was also a negative. He just didn't have the power to defeat the Weed Pokémon. His Ice Beam and Scald wouldn't hurt Gloom much, especially if it could use Sunny Day.

That left her with one choice.

"Buizel Battle Dance!" The Sea Weasel Pokémon appeared on the field, cringing immediately at the smell. "Sorry Buizel." Cynthia apologized. "Try to endure it." He nodded.

"Gloom vs. Buizel! Battle begin!" Gloom intensified her smell making Buizel feel woozy. Erika ordered for a Sunny Day, stacking the odds in her favor.

"Ice Beam Buizel!" Buizel unleashed the beam, managing to hit Gloom. Gloom recovered quickly though.

"Solar Beam Gloom." The Weed Pokémon fired off the blast very quickly, Buizel almost getting hit. The Water Type dodged though with the help of Aqua Jet. "Again."

Cynthia stared on in shock as Gloom kept on blasting Buizel. The Sea Weasel did his best to dodge, senses diluted from the stench. Erika had a smile on her lips the entire time.

"How are you able to endure it?" Cynthia asked Erika. The Gym Leader inclined her head towards Gloom.

"I'm used to it." She replied simply. "Hope you're too." Cynthia felt the urge to empty her stomach. She focused on the battle instead.

"Buizel use Sonic Boom!" Buizel slipped out of his Aqua Jet and swung his tail, sending a blast of sonic waves at Gloom's back. The Weed Pokémon dodged it though and turned with another Solar Beam.

' _Buizel knows Rain Dance, right?'_ Cynthia reminded herself. "Rain Dance Buizel!"

"Solar Beam."

"Protect!"

As Buizel paused to summon the rain clouds, Gloom unleashed another powerful Solar Beam. The Sea Weasel blocked it with his Protect, managing to trigger the clouds.

Cynthia grinned as the harsh sun was overtaken by clouds which poured down. Gloom let out a disappointed cry as her Chlorophyll wore off.

"Now use Water Pulse Buizel!" Cynthia said, feeling confident. Buizel unleashed the Water Pulse quickly, his Swift Swim kicking in. Gloom was unable to dodge the attack and got hit.

"Grassy Terrain Gloom." Erika commanded. "Then Moonblast!" Gloom transformed the terrain to her advantage, feeling it boost her. She countered Buizel's next Water Pulse with her Moonblast.

"Ice Beam Buizel!" Cynthia ordered. The stench had lessened a bit after the Rain Dance.

"Counter with Petal Dance!" Cynthia noted that Gloom's main way to battle was Sunny Day Solar Beam combo. It was a very nice one, but not one she should reply on.

Though Erika didn't exactly expect an adversary that could change the weather.

The petals and Ice Beam met, cancelling each other out. "Energy Ball!" Gloom fired off the ball which Buizel dodged without even using Aqua Jet.

"Aqua Jet into Ice Punch!" Buizel slipped into his most used move, zooming in on Gloom pretty fast. He reared his fist back and slammed it into Gloom's face, sending it stumbling back.

"Giga Drain!" Gloom shot up tendrils that wrapped around Buizel's torso. He tore them apart with Sonic Boom. Buizel landed down and blasted Gloom again with Ice Beam.

"Stench!" Gloom intensified her smell making Buizel cringe and make some distance between them. "Now Sunny Day!"

"Aqua Jet!" Cynthia acted instantly.

"Protect." Buizel's quick reaction was useless as he bounced off the Protect. Cynthia growled as her strategy worked against her. The clouds vanished, replaced with the shining sun.

The stench turned tenfold and Gloom wasted no time in blasting Buizel with Solar Beam. Buizel let out a pained cry, hitting the ground hard in front of Cynthia.

"Buizel!" Cynthia called out in concern. Buizel got back up, slipping into Aqua Jet and dodging the follow up blasts. Cynthia noted that Gloom's injuries had vanished, evidence of Synthesis being used.

"Shocked?" Erika taunted. "Petal Dance! Spread all over the field!" Gloom spun, pink glowing petal shaped energy forming around her, and shot them in all directions.

Buizel did his best to dodge the petals, zooming all around the field erratically. Erika smiled again at Cynthia's face. Cynthia had the same face as in their previous fight.

"Block them with Protect and then Rain Dance!" Buizel landed down and, erecting a barrier, began to call the clouds again.

"Not working this time." Erika interjected. "Sunny Day in counter and Energy Ball. Let's see how much can Buizel focus." Gloom cancelled her Petal Dance after hitting it against Buizel's Protect and delivering nice damage to it. She drew her weather altering technique, feeling strained as Rain Dance struggled against it.

Gloom formed the Grassy Terrain boosted Energy Ball and fired it off. Buizel's Protect, already cracked from the Petal Dance, broke when the Energy Ball hit it and Buizel stumbled. The Rain Dance and Sunny Day struggle ended with Sunny Day emerging victorious.

Buizel slumped over, panting heavily. Erika grinned at Cynthia's look. "Solar Beam again!" Buizel saw the beam approaching and formed another Protect, feeling too tired to use Aqua Jet.

The Solar Beam broke through the Protect, however, and Buizel was blasted back. Cynthia gritted her teeth as the strain of using Protect continuously made it known.

Protect was a pretty advanced and nifty technique to use. It gave you strong protection against otherwise devastating blasts like Solar Beam, Blast Burn etc.

However, the drawbacks were pretty costly. One, it was very difficult to learn and its TM was pretty expensive as well. Second, it drained the user if used too much.

That's why Protect wasn't used where dodging or a less costly move like Light Screen could be used. Cynthia didn't know about the second drawback until the training she did yesterday.

"Enjoying Cynthia?" Erika asked. Cynthia, already feeling nauseous from the stench, gave her a scowl. "Gloom! Use Solar Beam! End this!"

"Aqua Jet Buizel!" Buizel gave her a tired look. "I know you can do it!" Buizel formed water around her and dashed forward. He saw the Solar Beam reach him instantly, and steered above it.

"Petal Dance!" Gloom spun, unleashing her powerful petals again. Buizel dodged them with sharp twists and turns, doing his best to last. Cynthia was chewing on her lower lip as she wondered how to get out of this fight.

An idea came in her mind.

"Vacuum Wave!" If Buizel was able to disorient Gloom for only a moment, they'll have a clean opening. Buizel turned and sent the fast wave, managing to hit Gloom. "Now Aqua Jet! The same path!"

"What are you planning?" Erika muttered. Buizel burst forwards; moving through the same narrow path the Vacuum Wave had passed, and reached Gloom.

"Protect." Erika seemed almost disappointed that Cynthia kept falling to the same trick. As Buizel hit the barrier and bounced off, she called for a Solar Beam.

"Vacuum Wave again!" Buizel swung his tail mid-air, sending another blast and managing to disorient Gloom for just a moment.

Something Cynthia desperately needed.

"Now Ice Beam!" Buizel inhaled and fired, hitting Gloom. To Cynthia's luck, it began to freeze over Gloom as well!

"Stench!" Erika ordered.

"Power through it! Use Ice Punch!" Cynthia said. If Buizel could deal some damage, then maybe she'll have a shot at winning. Buizel swung his fist back, feeling his head spin as the smell worsened at its core, and punched Gloom in her face.

Gloom blinked at the sudden punch. Buizel reared his second fist back as well and began to punch Gloom hard repeatedly. The Grassy Terrain had faded by then.

"Protect into Giga Drain." Erika guided calmly. Buizel's fists hit a barrier for a moment and tendrils wrapped around his torso. Buizel grabbed them; wanting it rip it off, when Sleep Powder descended on him.

"No!" Cynthia shouted in alarm as Buizel was lulled into sleep. Gloom sucked the remaining health from Buizel, feeling her own damage heal up.

"Just give it up Cynthia." Erika smirked. "You clearly cannot win against Gloom." Cynthia's saw her Water Type faint in the Giga Drain and slump down.

"Buizel is unable to continue! Gloom wins! Challenger, send out your last Pokémon!" The referee declared. The atmosphere was tense and smelling horribly as well.

"Buizel…" Cynthia whispered, returning him. "Epic battle boy. Keep up the good work." She pocketed the pokéball and looked at Gloom and Erika.

Only Nidorino remained, and he was paralyzed too. Could he take on Gloom? Cynthia shook her head and mentally chided herself. She wasn't going to give up so soon!

"Well?" Erika asked patiently.

"I'm not giving up so soon Erika!" Cynthia hollered with renewed confidence. "I'm not going to let the hard work of my Pokémon to go to waste just because someone wants me to!"

"We've worked hard, trained day and night, and if we've already defeated two Pokémon of yours, what's one more?" The blonde clutched Nidorino's pokéball.

"Sure. Go ahead then." Erika shrugged. "I'll personally enjoy your crushing defeat." A sadistic smile appeared on her face. Cynthia threw her final Pokémon, revealing Nidorino in all his glory.

Nidorino growled at the Gloom, tensing up. Erika gave him a contemplating look and nodded. "Final battle. Last chance to prove your hard work. Make it count."

"I will, don't worry." Cynthia vowed. "No holding back Nidorino! Gloom already has defeated Buizel." Nidorino growled in return.

He briefly felt the paralysis freeze him before fading. That would be a nuisance for the entire battle, Nidorino was sure of it. Gloom had healed up using Synthesis already, looking ready and new.

However, the Solar Beams had taken their toll on her. She was panting a bit and the Sunny Day had ended too. It was a fresh start to the battle.

Cynthia knew Nidorino didn't have his Work Up boost anymore and she'll have to set it up. Gloom's Solar Beam could blast Nidorino so she'll need to find a way around it too.

If Cynthia managed to get enough boosts up and deliver some Poison Jabs and Ice Beam, she was confident Gloom would succumb. However, Gloom still had the Sleep Powder as a threat.

Nidorino just may be able to push it away using Confusion. He also knew Peck! Cynthia remembered it just now. If Work Up boosted Pecks hit Gloom, they'll deal heavy damage and they might just be able to win.

' _I'll just have to adjust on the fly.'_ Cynthia sighed. She nodded at the referee.

"Gloom vs. Nidorino! Battle Begin!" Nidorino immediately boosted up with Work Up while Gloom set up her Sunny Day. The blonde immediately took on an aggressive stance, ordering an Ice Beam.

"Counter with Energy Ball! Then Grassy Terrain!" Gloom retaliated the cyan beam with her Energy Ball, the boosted ball cancelling the Ice Type attack. The field was covered with Grass Type energy.

"Work Up!" As Nidorino boosted himself up, Gloom unleashed her destructive Solar Beam. "Protect!" Nidorino erected the barrier, successfully blocking the attack. "Now Focus Energy!"

"Keep using Solar Beam." Erika said knowing Protect wouldn't last very long. As Gloom charged her beams and fired off at a quick pace, Nidorino managed his Protect for a bit more.

"Ice Beam!" Cynthia ordered. Nidorino froze as the paralysis made itself known, and then fired his beam. His Ice Beam made contact with the Solar Beam, struggling before the Solar ripped it apart. "Now Poison Jab!"

Nidorino ran forward in the weakened Solar Beam, his horn sharp and boosted from the Work Up. The Solar Beam made contact with the horn and got blocked.

"Work Up again and then use Ice Beam!" Nidorino, feeling the Solar beam end, boosted himself once more and retaliated with his Ice Beam. Gloom quickly countered with Energy Ball.

Nidorino rushed in when the two collided, capitalizing on the moment. Imagine Gloom's surprise when Nidorino showed up at such a close proximity.

"Peck!" Nidorino jabbed his horn into Gloom, making her cry out in pain and get pushed back. Erika quickly asked for a Giga Drain and tendrils enslaved Nidorino.

"Make some distance!" Gloom quickly trotted back, taking advantage as Nidorino ripped off the tendrils off him. "Petal Dance! Keep him away!"

"Rush in with Poison Jab! Work Up again." Nidorino readied his horn and rushed in, breaking through the petals with his poisonous attack. Gloom managed to dodge his next attack only due to Chlorophyll. "Poison Jab and Fury Attack!"

Nidorino concentrated, combining the two moves, and was about to jab when the paralysis stopped him. Gloom made her move and blasted Nidorino back with Solar Beam.

"Keep up the Solar Beam! Synthesis." Erika commanded calmly. As Nidorino broke his paralysis and adjusted his Poison Jab, Gloom hastily tried to heal herself up.

"Push through!" Cynthia pressed. "Gloom cannot fight you in a physical fight!" Nidorino grunted and pushed through, his Poison Jab cutting through the Solar Beam.

"Moonlight dear. Keep him at bay with Protect." Erika guided calmly, knowing she had the match in her favor. Nidorino reached Gloom and jabbed forward just to meet a Protect barrier.

"Break through with Focus Energy and Poison Jab!" Cynthia commanded in frustration. Gloom healed herself up nicely with Moonlight, making their efforts for naught.

Nidorino slammed his sharpened horn in the Protect, forming cracks and managing to break through. Nidorino then rushed forwards, slamming a Peck into Gloom.

"Petal Dance!" Gloom spun around, pushing Nidorino away with Petal Dance. Cynthia saw Nidorino flinch from the paralysis and clenched her fists.

"Ice Beam!" Nidorino formed the beam and fired it off though it got deflected from the petals. Erika smiled at Cynthia's anger.

"Solar Beam."

"Protect!"

Erika watched in bewilderment as Gloom's Solar Beam blew up in her face, stunning the Grass Type. "Push through with Fury Attack and Peck! Don't let up!" Nidorino rushed forwards, slamming his Peck into Gloom and pushing her down.

"Try Petal Dance!" Gloom did her best but the pain from the repeated Pecks was making it difficult. Cynthia watched on with baited breathe, clenching her fist as Nidorino mauled Gloom.

Nidorino felt his muscles stiffen yet again and growled. Gloom tried to take advantage but Nidorino delivered a makeshift Double Kick to her face.

"Finish this!" Cynthia urged. The Sunny Day above vanished, drawing off Gloom's Chlorophyll boost and enhanced senses. Nidorino felt the paralysis hinder him again.

"Petal Dance!" Erika hurried.

Gloom wasn't fast enough.

"Peck!" With the Sunny Day having worn off, Gloom wasn't fast enough. Nidorino's Peck slammed into her and knocked her out, sealing Cynthia's victory.

"Oh my." Erika mumbled at Nidorino's savagery.

"Gloom is unable to continue, Nidorino wins! The victor of this battle is the Challenger Cynthia Carolina!" Nidorino let out a triumphant cry as his victory and collapsed down.

Cynthia ran on the battlefield, approaching her first capture, and suddenly felt woozy. She stumbled and landed down, feeling her breakfast rush to her throat.

Her eyes watered at the feeling and she stayed still for a few moments. "Easy." Erika approached the blonde and crouched next to her. "Here." Cynthia took the offered berry and chewed it. "Stay down."

Nidorino approached her, growling worriedly. The blonde rubbed his face, careful not to prick her finger on Nidorino's poisonous spikes or horns.

"Great job Nidorino." She complimented. "If anyone is able to defeat that Gloom, I have no doubt it'll be you."

"It's a huge surprise he stayed so close to Gloom." Erika commented. "Most Pokémon wouldn't risk getting into a close quarters fight with Gloom due to the stench."

"We don't mind going the extra mile." Cynthia giggled. "So, I finally make you eat your words."

"Yup." Erika smiled. "You've passed the test." She reached inside her kimono and produced a Rainbow Badge. It was more decorated than the Cerulean and Pewter badge, being shaped like a flower with colorful petals and showing a bit grass.

Cynthia took the badge, smiling proudly. "We did it." She pulled out her badge case and fixed it at its place. "Three down, five to go." The blonde got up.

"Good luck for your future endeavors Cynthia." Erika wished. "Do return after growing some more. I'll show you my true strength then."

"Sure." Cynthia returned Nidorino and turned on her heel. She exited the gym, feeling euphoric.

She had won against Erika.

Her confidence seemed to increase suddenly.

Xxx

 **And done! Hope you've liked the longer chapter! The next chapter will be uploaded in the next week, most probably next Monday, so stay tuned! Keep reviewing if you want longer, consistent chapters! Wanna suggest me something? Review. Wanna ask me something? Review. Wanna spread hate? Review. Wanna give constructive criticism? Review!**

 **Response to Reviews:**

 _ **Ga Pokémon Fan:**_ **Don't worry! I have a lot of plans for every character!**

 _ **Guest:**_ **Thanks for the support!**

 _ **Hero of all:**_ **Well, Ash** is **a rookie! He has a long way to go before becoming elite! And you wished for longer chapters so here it is!**

 _ **UltimateCCC:**_ **I've decided not to involve the Pokémon that evolve through trading like Haunter and Rhydon. I'll introduce a different method in the later chapters. Unlucky about the freak storm! I was actually wondering where my loyal reader UltimateCCC was at XD.**


	17. Bravery

**That's why I don't make any schedules or anything. I barely manage to hold onto them for long. Though I've met the deadline in this, it was a big struggle. Hopefully I'll be able to continue weekly updates. No promises though.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.**

Xxx

 **Bravery!**

"You won?" Nurse Joy questioned the blonde as she took her three Pokémon from her. Cynthia nodded excitedly. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." Cynthia replied gratefully. She turned on her feet and left for the cafeteria. The blonde had to take lunch and then finalize her next move. She could leave for Fuchsia or go back to Saffron.

Cynthia pulled out her pokedex and checked her money. The blonde frowned at the amount it showed. While victories against Gym Leaders rewarded a lot more pokecash than in trainer battles, Cynthia didn't think it was enough to last her to Fuchsia.

' _What should I do?'_ The blonde questioned as she sat down on her table, a simple green sandwich in front of her. _'Saffron is the best choice. And my only choice too…'_

The blonde ate her lunch slowly, considering her options. Even after she was finished, she was thinking. The blonde wanted to take the challenge Route 16, 17, and 18 proposed and train.

She didn't want to lose again.

Especially after her previous loss.

"I'll check Suzie out first." Cynthia decided. "Besides, I have this complete day to spend. Might as well make the most of it." She briefly wondered if she could buy one of Erika's perfume but, remembering her financial crisis, shot down the idea.

She'll buy it later.

Cynthia got up from her seat, leaving the Pokémon Center for Scissor Street. Hopefully she won't charge in exchange for seeing Roselia. Scissor Street wasn't that far from her current location, about a thirty minute walk.

Cynthia picked up her pace. She wasn't short on time but it'll give her more time to explore the city of flowers. The blonde rechecked her Pokégear for the fastest route and nodded.

"Huh?" Cynthia said, looking at the crowd outside the Police Station. That was unusual. All she managed to spot was a tearful well-dressed woman in her mid-thirties being comforted by a man roughly the same age.

Cynthia thought they looked familiar. She couldn't quite place her finger on it but she was sure she saw them somewhere. Maybe in the newspaper or something?

Lost in her thoughts, the blonde bumped into a green haired girl. "Sorry." Cynthia apologized. The girl, in her early twenties, waved it off

"Don't worry." She replied, looking at the Police Station. "What happened there?" Cynthia shook her head.

"Nope. Was just passing by." Cynthia answered. The old couple she had seen got into a car and the automobile sped off. The crowd began to disperse.

"Well, better return to my salon then." She sighed.

"Are you Suzie?" Cynthia questioned, properly realizing the girl. Suzie nodded. "I was just heading to your salon." Suzie blinked.

"Oh. Your good name?" She asked.

"Cynthia." Our blonde replied.

"I'm sorry Cynthia, but I actually have closed my salon for today." The blonde gave her a questioning look. "Can you return tomorrow?"

"I'll leave tomorrow." Cynthia sighed. "Well, I'll swing by another time then." Suzie gave her an apologetic look.

"Sorry for the inconvenience." Cynthia shook her head.

"No problem at all." She smiled. "I'll take my leave now." The blonde nodded and Suzie left.

' _There goes that plan.'_ Cynthia thought. She saw Officer Jenny leave the Police Station, looking exasperated. She _could_ try to get some information from her.

"Officer?" Cynthia called, reaching up to her. "Do you have a minute?" She nodded. "What happened there?"

"That's none of your concern." She replied.

"I just want to help-"

"We have it under control. No need to involve yourself." She cut in. "Anything else?" Cynthia shook her head. Officer Jenny walked past her, mounting her bike.

"Well, that was cold." Cynthia grumbled. The blonde shrugged, at a loss of what to do next, and decided to retreat back to the Pokémon Center.

Her good mood was ruined.

Xxx

The blonde entered the Pokémon Center and walked into the lobby. Sitting down, Cynthia decided to look at the TV to find something worthwhile.

" _-The daughter of the Mayor of Celadon has been kidnapped."_ Cynthia heard. _"The police have yet been unable to spot the kidnappers."_ The footage that rolled with the news saw the kidnapped girl.

The blonde blinked and her mind clicked. That's where she saw the two outside the Police Station! She had briefly caught their glimpse when returning from her first match against Erika!

"Oh my." Cynthia breathed.

" _Calls of ransom have also been made."_ The news reporter continued. _"The mayor refuses to give in though, even though his daughter's security is concerned. What's going in his mind?"_

Cynthia wondered whether privacy actually existed in the media's eyes or not? Always poking their nose in the wrong matter. The mayor could be planning something for all they knew. Didn't mean he didn't care about his daughter!

The blonde opened up her pokégear map and looked over Celadon. There were a lot of places the mayor's daughter would be kept in. She could also be kept in clear site yet shrouded and hidden well.

"Hm." Cynthia hummed, raking her head. For all she tried though, she was unable to come up with a solid place. She just didn't understand a criminal's mindset enough.

"Not my matter anyway." Cynthia pursed her lips and closed her pokégear. Though the blonde wanted to help the mayor's daughter, she also didn't want to risk it.

She could be hurt and her Mom would surely cancel her journey if that happened. The blonde was barely able to dodge that during the Hidden Village incident.

The blonde gritted her teeth a bit at the memory. Even though it had been nearly two months since the incident, she wasn't unable to shake it off.

Wait, it had been nearly two months already? The blonde couldn't help but wonder just how time flied. That was the last time she saw Ash… the blonde shook her head.

They were travelling separately from now on! The blonde had to come to terms with that! She had her Pokémon with her, they were enough. Cynthia bitterly admitted that Ash might've not even thought about her.

It was a bit of a stretch, but not something utterly impossible. Ash might've forgotten her in favor of training and his Pokémon. It would be in her best interests to stop dwelling in the past too.

"Hey." The blonde broke her train of thoughts and looked up. Paul, the trainer she had seen at the Celadon Gym, was there.

"Hello." Cynthia said, scooting to the side to make some space for him. The blonde embarrassedly realized that she was occupying an entire couch. Hopefully no one saw her…

"You won the match?" Paul questioned his eyes on the TV.

"Yeah." Cynthia answered. "Her Gloom was very tough to beat. His stench kept messing up my plans."

"You must've battled a different team." Cynthia nodded. "Wonder why she didn't fight me with the Gloom and Tangela though."

"Good thing you didn't battle with them." Cynthia told him. "Both are a pain to fight against. You got off easy."

"I like a challenge." He retorted simply. "Hopefully Lt. Surge would be more challenging." Cynthia blinked. Erika was _easy?_ Either he was very strong or he was bluffing.

"How did you win?" She asked. "I almost lost my entire team to her. Nidorino barely managed to push through."

"I only lost my Grotle due to Poison Powder. My other Pokémon made quick work of her." Cynthia was pretty impressed. She didn't want to admit it but Paul _was_ stronger than her.

"How many Pokémon do you have?" The blonde asked. Paul got up.

"It was nice meeting you but I have to go." The Sinnoh Native told the blonde.

"Okay." Cynthia replied back slowly. "Hope we meet again." Paul nodded and walked away, leaving Cynthia alone. The blonde spared one last look at his retreating figure before sighing. "He's even more socially awkward than me."

She got up, looking at the TV News before deciding to retreat to her room. She didn't have anything to do at the moment. _'I'll prepare for Lt. Sure or Koga. Where should I go though?'_

She retreated to her room, pulling out her pokedex. Koga was an adept Poison Type Specialist who relied more on traps and strategic fighting rather than straight on fight. He was pretty tricky to defeat, even more than Erika and her Tangela.

Lt. Sure was his complete opposite. He was an Electric Type Specialist and relied on brute force. His Raichu was infamous for its power and electric blasts. Many opponents who lost against him were admitted in the Pokémon Center for a nice time.

He was one of the few reasons Cynthia didn't want to go to Vermillion just yet. She needed to practice more and train her Pokémon to be more versatile. Erika was the last easy Gym Leader.

Lt. Surge, Koga, Sabrina, Blaine, and Giovanni all were tough. The latter three were mostly avoided due to their reputation. Sabrina was a Psychic Type Specialist and on par with Giovanni in strength.

Giovanni used Ground Types in his battles and despite their multiple counters, posed quite a threat. His Rhyperior alone wiped teams and he didn't even use said Rock/Ground Type much.

Blaine was a Fire Type trainer and though he had softened in battling due to his age, he was far from being a pushover. To find his gym was a challenge in itself and defeating his Magmar was pretty difficult too.

Cynthia wasn't ready to battle any of them. Though the blonde could take on Lt. Surge and Koga with enough preparations, the battle with Erika proved that she must be prepared to expect the unexpected.

Cynthia put her pokedex aside and reached inside her backpack. Pulling out the incubator, she began to chat to it. Nothing particular, just rambling about random stuff.

Cynthia felt the egg move at her voice and smiled.

It was close to hatching.

She was sure of it.

Xxx

"Hey Erika!" Cynthia called out to the distraught Gym Leader. Erika saw the blonde approaching and, handing her pokéballs to Nurse Joy, hugged the blonde.

"How are you Cynthia?" She questioned. The blonde smiled.

"I'm doing just fine." She replied. "Another tough challenger?" Erika nodded. "Why the long face? Something happened?"

"It's nothing." She shook her head. "It's just that, with the mayor's daughter being kidnapped, it's a lot of pressure on me."

"Any update on her location?" Erika shook her head. "Not even a clue?"

"Nope. If we had, we would've already acted on it." Erika looked at her wrist where a petal shaped watch rested. "Anyway, I have to get going back to the gym." She spoke up apologetically.

"No problem." Cynthia replied. "Will you be free tomorrow?" The blonde asked. Erika shrugged.

"I don't have any scheduled battles currently." Cynthia's hand dropped to one of her pokéballs.

"I want some tips from you." Erika blinked. "I have a Roselia. A friend gifted it to me. I want some tips on how to raise it."

"Sure. Just visit me tomorrow first thing in the morning." Erika replied enthusiastically.

"Thank you." Cynthia nodded. Erika then took her leave and left leaving her alone in the lobby. The blonde wasn't feeling sleepy and she already had her dinner too.

Deciding to explore Celadon for a bit, she left the center. The sun had just set and it was getting dark. Cynthia contemplated whether she should leave or not.

It _was_ getting dark and she wasn't feeling entirely secure due to the ongoing mayor's daughter abduction. Cynthia shook her head to get rid of the thought.

"I travel alone daily." She muttered, making a move. "Why should I get worried about some kidnappers?" Her hands rested on her waist, where her pokéballs were. "Besides, they're here to protect me."

With that positive thought, the blonde left to explore the city.

Celadon was a green city, with pollution held at bay from the greenery. It wasn't that populated either. Cynthia enjoyed the cool air that ran over her and blew her hair.

Kanto was getting warmer as it approached its hottest period. During Kanto's hot summer, travelling was pretty hard to do. The heat would peak at unbearable levels in few certain areas and many trainers would hold off their journey until the temperature eased.

Cynthia had no such mind of doing so. She would simply keep on pushing and acquire at least six badges before putting her journey on hold. That way, she wouldn't have to worry on the later parts of her journey.

"Celadon is pretty cool." Cynthia commented. She had her upper coat at the Pokémon Center, leaving only her black shirt on. The blonde enjoyed the chill air and exhaled in happiness.

Cynthia wondered whether she should call her Roselia out. She'll certainly enjoy the sights. Her hand rested on the pokéball but she denied the idea.

A lot of people would gawk at the foreign Pokémon and make her feel uncomfortable. Cynthia didn't want that. She'll call her out later. The blonde reached the local market of Celadon and looked at the various street foods.

Window shopping most of them, she resisted very hard at an ice cream vendor. Try as she might though, her inner kid won and she purchased a double scope cone.

"This will never get old." Cynthia giggled to herself, licking her chocolate flavored one. Though vanilla was her favorite, she liked to deviate.

Cynthia caught someone looking at her from the corner of her eye and gripped Squirtle's pokéball tightly. The person, a man in his late twenties, must've realized the same thing and looked away.

Cynthia decided not to heed him any attention and focused on her ice cream. Fifteen minutes later, the blonde had finished her cone and was wondering on what to do next.

"Hey," The blonde stiffened and turned around, finding the same man from earlier looking at her.

"Yes?" Cynthia asked back a bit uncertainly. She quickly took a look of her surroundings and found the parts to be mostly empty. It wasn't much lit as well.

' _Where am I?'_ The blonde asked herself. The man approached her, closing the distance between them. Cynthia back stepped making him chuckle.

"Why so scared huh?" Cynthia was questioning herself the same thing.

"What do you want?" The blonde asked instead. He grinned.

"I-" He was interrupted as someone approached him from behind.

"Mike! We need to move the mayor's daughter!" He hollered. "The police may have gotten our location!"

"Gr." He looked at Cynthia. "Damn police." Cynthia's eyes widened at what the other said.

"Wait," She felt her heartbeat quicken. "You're the kidnappers of the mayor's daughter? Where is she?" She questioned. Mike chuckled and gripped one of his pokéball.

"You shouldn't have known that." Cynthia gripped Squirtle's pokéball and threw it, calling the water turtle out. An Arbok emerged from Mike's pokéball. His partner called out an Abra.

The Arbok lunged at Squirtle who quickly used Withdraw. Cynthia felt her limbs freeze as the Abra began to constrict her. Squirtle fired off a Water Gun into Arbok's mouth, making him splutter and release him.

He then fired off an Ice Beam, hitting him in his hood and partially freezing him. Abra picked Cynthia up and was about to throw her down when Squirtle blasted him with Water Pulse.

"Poison Tail Arbok!" Squirtle saw the incoming muscular tail and withdrew. Though his shell absorbed the hit, it also sent him skidding back.

"Psychic Abra!" A pink glow enveloped Squirtle and he was lifted in the air.

"Protect!" A green barrier lit up, blocking the Psychic and the Poison Tail from Arbok. "Now use Scald! Target the Abra!" Cynthia clipped another pokéball from her waist and called out Roselia. "Cover him with Energy Ball!"

Roselia and Squirtle worked in tandem, covering the other. Arbok was unable to attack Squirtle since he had to dodge the Energy Ball and Abra was too busy redirecting the Scald.

Squirtle came rolling in, smashing into the Psychic Type with Rapid Spin. Abra hit the ground hard and struggled to get up. Squirtle knocked him out with Headbutt.

The kidnapper returned his Abra and threw two more pokéball. A Rattata and Koffing came out. Cynthia ducked under a Poison Tail, barely dodging.

Roselia threw a Leech Seed and it wrapped around the poison snake, following up with Magical Leaf. Squirtle quickly dodged a Bite from the Rattata and blasted him with Ice Beam. Koffing appeared above him, glowing.

Squirtle recognized the move and used Protect, blocking the Self Destruct. Rattata, Arbok, Cynthia, Roselia, and the two kidnappers were hit however.

Cynthia felt stars dance in front of her eyes as her eyes tried to adjust to the darkness after the sudden explosion of light. She felt someone sneak up behind her and gasped.

An arm wrapped up around her neck and a figure pressed her back against his chest, restraining her. "Stay still." He growled. Squirtle, who had finished up the Rattata, looked at the Arbok and him warningly.

Arbok snaked forward, slapping Roselia with Poison Tail and then biting down with Fire Fang. Roselia let out a cry of pain as she was shaken wildly.

Cynthia slammed her elbow into the attacker's chest hard, pushing him back. She turned and punched him in the face, breaking his nose and knocking him down.

Arbok threw the limp Roselia to the side and snarled at the Squirtle. Cynthia returned her Grass Type and growled as a Zubat, a Sandshrew, and an Ekans came.

She reached for Nidorino. He'll make quick work of them-

The blonde froze as she remembered her three Pokémon were with Nurse Joy. Seeing her look, the man grinned. "Only the Squirtle is left! Attack!"

"Protect!" Cynthia shouted. Squirtle withdrew into his shell and a green barrier erupted around him. Their combined attacks bounced off and Squirtle quickly hit the Sandshrew with Water Gun.

Arbok used another Poison Tail which Squirtle endured with Withdraw. As he was sent flying, the water turtle came out and managed to blast Zubat down with Water Pulse.

Landing down, Squirtle quickly bounced off with Rapid Spin and hit Ekans with Ice Beam. Cynthia smiled as the three struggled to recover from the attacks. She had this in the bag.

Cynthia felt movement behind her and slammed her foot on the man's neck, knocking him out. She saw Squirtle finish off Zubat and Ekans, leaving only Sandshrew and Arbok.

"You're strong." The second man said, visibly shaken. Cynthia gave him the scariest look she could give.

"Where is the mayor's daughter?!" She asked. "Tell me now!" Arbok snarled and lunged forwards. Cynthia ducked down, his fangs snapping just above her head, and grabbed his tail.

She swung him down, slamming him down and making him dizzy. His tail glowed and Cynthia was forced to leave it lest get poisoned. Cynthia stepped back, dodging his Poison Tail.

Squirtle knocked out Sandshrew and showered Arbok with Scald, burning his back. Arbok snarled and lunged at the water turtle who engaged him.

"Tell me and no one has to get hurt." Cynthia told him slowly. "We don't have to do this." He was shaking from fear now. The blonde was sure he'll answer with a bit more pressure. "Tell me!"

"No!" Squirtle hit the ground in front of Cynthia, coming out of his shell. The blonde bit her lip at his condition. Squirtle was pretty bashed from the fight. He had taken down how much, six Pokémon on his own?

' _He's poisoned.'_ Cynthia realized. Her eye turned to Arbok who himself was near fainting. _'If Squirtle faints, I'll have no Pokémon to defend myself with.'_ Her eyes widened. She activated her pokégear and looked up for Officer Jenny's number.

Arbok and Squirtle fought again. The man must've realized what she was doing and engaged her himself. Cynthia's eyes widened as she was tackled to the ground.

The man put his hands around her throat and squeezed. Cynthia grabbed his hands and dug her nails in, trying her best to force them off.

"No you don't." He gritted his teeth. Cynthia felt the pressure increase and struggled. She let go of his hands and slapped him on his face instead.

Cynthia bit down on his wrist hard making him cry in pain. The blonde felt the metallic taste of blood and kicked him off her. Getting up, she pushed him down and gave him an angry stare.

"Where. Is. She?" Cynthia questioned. "I can have you turned in for life. If you tell me, I'll let you go." That was a complete lie, but the blonde doubted he'll know. He seemed pretty new to this stuff anyway.

"O-okay." He stammered. Cynthia waited patiently. "It's in-" He slammed his forehead in Cynthia's, knocking her back. "Tough luck bitch!" He cursed.

Cynthia was about to get slapped when Squirtle targeted his feet with Ice Beam. His feet froze in a block of ice and Cynthia pushed him down. "Great job Squirtle!" Cynthia told him breathlessly. "Rest for now." She returned him and looked at the trapped man.

"How about fighting me?" Cynthia turned around and felt her breathe catch in her throat. A third man was standing in front of her and in front of him was a young girl not older than five.

"Leave her alone." Cynthia told him. He gave her a grin and dropped to one knee, caressing the girl's hair.

"How about no?" A Fearow stood beside him, giving her an evil stare. "Behind you." Cynthia turned around just in time for a bone to whack her in the face.

She stumbled back, dropping to one knee. A Marowak stood behind her. "You're trapped girl." Cynthia spared one look at her Pokégear and resisted the urge to grin. The call had connected to Officer Jenny.

"Leave the daughter's mayor alone now!" She hollered.

"I won't." He replied. "How about I add you to the list too?" Cynthia read a board behind him.

"Near the abandoned factory of silk. Rose Road." The man gave her a confused look and his eyes trailed to the pokedex. "Quickly!" The call disconnected.

"You bitch!" The Marowak lunged at Cynthia again. The blonde was struck to the ground. "The police will take some time to reach." He lifted the girl up and threw her on Fearow. "You cannot stop me. Finish her Marowak."

Marowak lifted his feet, preparing to stomp the blonde. Cynthia rolled to the side, dodging his attack, and got up. Marowak threw his bone forward and the blonde ducked.

The blonde hit Fearow on his face making him stumble back. The blonde hit the Boomerang on its return journey and knocked it off its course.

"Okay then." The man snarled. "Earthquake and Hyper Beam. No chances!"

"Aerial Ace!" A black white blur flew forward, slamming into the Marowak and pushing him back. It quickly turned and hit the kidnapper, knocking him and the girl off Fearow. "Get her now!"

Fearow intercepted the blur. His Steel Wing knocked it back and its talon gripped the girl from her back. Cynthia looked at the new comer and saw an avian from her former home region.

"A Staravia?" Cynthia saw Paul and grinned. Paul was glaring at the Fearow and his owner. Her eyes trailed to the girl and how Fearow was digging his talon in her back.

"You've got backup too I see." The kidnapper commented. "No worries. Fearow, kill her." Cynthia's eyes widened.

Thankfully, Paul was prepared.

Fearow froze in his moments and was pulled off the girl. Cynthia smiled as an Abra, no doubt belonging to Paul, threw Fearow off her.

"Run!" Cynthia yelled. The girl got up and ran towards Cynthia. The blonde, knowing Staravia had engaged Marowak, approached her and hugged her tightly.

"I've got more!" The man growled and reached for his pokéballs. Abra froze him up with Psychic and threw him on Fearow.

"Freeze!" Cynthia sighed in relief as the police reached their location. Staravia knocked out Marowak through some serious attacks and returned back to Paul.

She heard the little girl weeping and kneeled down. "Hey, you okay?" The blonde questioned. She kept on weeping uncontrollably. "Hush, it's okay." She whispered, hugging her tightly.

"Cynthia!" The blonde looked up and saw Erika approaching her. A large, powerful Venasaur was behind her. "What are you doing here?" Cynthia gestured her to wait.

The blonde saw the three men being cuffed and thrown into a police vehicle. Their Pokémon were returned to their pokéballs and taken from them.

"I'll tell you later." Cynthia mouthed to the Gym Leader and went back to consoling the kid. She saw Paul return his Pokémon and approach him.

"You okay?" The blonde nodded. Officer Jenny approached them.

"I want you two to come with me please." Her voice seemed serious. The blonde remembered the meeting with one of them in Cerulean and inwardly shivered.

"Sure." She replied and got up, the girl still in her arms. She seemed to have quieted down by now and was sleeping, most probably due to exhaustion.

"Here please."

Xxx

"I think I asked you," She pointed at Cynthia who was getting tended to by the police's medic. "Not to involve yourself."

"I did not involve myself." The blonde replied. "I was exploring Celadon City-"

"At such a late hour?"

"If I can travel Kanto alone and face off Pokémon, both tamed and wild, then what's with exploring late?" Cynthia questioned. "Anyway, one of them, Mike, I remember, attacked me. His partner came and rambled about holding the mayor's daughter. One thing led to another and the third member came with her, maybe wanting to check up on his men, and fought me."

"What about you?" She looked at Paul.

"Was roaming the city. Heard them fight and got here. Helped her fight against them." Officer Jenny sighed.

"It's lucky she called me in time." She gestured to Cynthia. "I'm not pressing any charges just because you helped save her. But," She glared at Cynthia. "I won't entertain anything like this again. Do you understand?"

Cynthia nodded, holding an ice pack to her cheek. "Saying this especially to you since you have a track record of getting in trouble."

"It's just my second time."

"And hope it remains that." She interrupted coldly. "Got it?" Cynthia nodded. "Your Pokémon are with Nurse Joy. You'll get them in the morning with your other team."

"Ok." Cynthia sighed and felt exhaustion creep into her. "Thanks for showing up officer."

"It's my job." She got up and walked off, leaving the two alone in the office. "Rest up kids."

"Officer Jenny?" Cynthia called making her stop. "How's the mayor's daughter?"

"She's fine. Resting at her home." She left then. Paul got up.

"Why did you intervene?" The blonde questioned him. "I remember you saying it wasn't my business and stuff."

"The mayor's daughter isn't." He corrected.

"And I am?" Cynthia pressed. Paul grunted.

"Think what you want to." He left the office leaving Cynthia alone. The blonde got up and walked out, wanting to get to the Pokémon Center and crash on her bed.

The sense of accomplishment she felt was pretty high.

Xxx

The blonde stirred as someone knocked on her door. "Huh?" The blonde opened her silver eyes and looked at the door. Taking a few moments to properly wake up, she got up.

Opening the door, she was surprised to see the mayor's family outside. "Hello dear." The mayor greeted. Their daughter ran forward, hugging Cynthia tight.

Cynthia gave her a sweet smile. "Hey sweetie." She smiled, lifting her up. "Come in." The blonde stepped aside, letting them enter inside.

"Sorry if we woke you up." The mayor's wife apologized.

"Not at all." Cynthia said, flushing a bit. "I slept in actually."

"You went to sleep very late too." She pointed out.

"True." Cynthia turned to the girl. "What's your name?" She asked.

"Sara." The blonde nodded and set her down.

"I'll be back in a minute." Cynthia entered the washroom and quickly made herself presentable. For one, she still had bed hair and was in her pajamas.

Coming back out, she saw the mayor typing something in his mobile. "Thanks a lot for saving my daughter dear." The mayor's wife thanked her. "I was really worried about her. The police was unable to do anything."

"It's no problem Ma'am." Cynthia replied shyly.

"Just call me Angela." She told her.

"Okay then." The blonde nodded.

"You must be wondering why I'm here, right?" The mayor asked. Cynthia nodded. "Check your pokedex." Cynthia picked up her pokedex and saw an alert.

She pulled the pokedex down and gave the mayor a surprised look. "Wha-"

"You're a Pokémon trainer." He intervened. "You're also low on funds. Consider it an expression of my gratitude."

"I already told you." Cynthia began. "That I'm happy enough. You don't have to do this."

"I actually have to." He pointed at Sara. "She's the one who suggested it. She told me all about how you struggled against the Marowak and how close you were to fainting."

"You're very brave." Sara praised shyly. "When I grow up, I want to be just like you." The blonde smiled.

"Happy to hear that." The blonde grinned.

"So, I hope you accept my gift." The mayor replied, getting up. Cynthia shook her head.

"I don't want money to save someone in need." She retorted. "I'll feel bad about it."

"Please don't. You didn't save Sara because of money. There was no mention of award or anything to save her. You did that selflessly. You risked your life to save our daughter. I don't want you to die like some unfortunate trainer low on resources." The mayor replied.

"Don't think we're doing this out of pity or trying to buy you out either!" Angela added. "Cynthia, truth be told. Ever since your saved our daughter, Sara hasn't been able to stop rambling about you. You are her idol. You're like a second _daughter_ for me Cynthia. So please, accept this gift."

"Well," Cynthia sighed. "If you insist." Sara, Angela, and the mayor got up. "It was nice meeting you." She extended a hand for the mayor. He shook it.

"Why don't you visit our home?" Sara questioned. "We'll have lots of fun there!" Cynthia gave her a sad look.

"I would love to but I need to leave for Fuchsia." She answered. Seeing her sad look, she quickly added. "I'll make sure to visit the next time, don't worry."

"Okay." Sara smiled brightly.

"Do contact us when you come back to Celadon City." Angela told her. "I would love to spend more time with you."

"Sure." Cynthia gave her another smile. "Stay safe, okay Sara?" She told the girl. Sara ran forward and hugged her tightly. Cynthia crouched down and hugged her back.

"Guess we'll be on our move now." The trio got up and left the room, leaving Cynthia alone. The blonde, now fully awake, decided to make her move.

' _I'll go buy up stuff for the route quickly.'_ Route 16, 17, and 18 were pretty long and dangerous. Cynthia would be far away from civilization for a long time.

Thankfully, she had a lot of cash now. She'll be able to survive a lot better now.

A new day, a new experience.

Fuchsia City.

Here I come.

Xxx

 **Response to reviews:**

 _ **Issei182**_ **: Thanks for the quick review! Yours came under an hour I think.**

 _ **Hero of all**_ **: Battles take the longest time since I have to think about various battle styles and counters that the trainer may adapt etc. Our protagonists will get their dragons, don't worry. Not gonna rob Cynthia of her star Pokémon ;)**

 _ **Cobb:**_ **I'll consider your suggestion. Here's the next update, now wait patiently for the next one lol.**

 _ **UltimateCCC**_ **: You'll find out.**

 _ **Mark Andrew:**_ **Gloom's part was the hardest to write. I was really wondering how to implement its special stench. Hope I did Erika's team justice. About Erika's 180 while battling, you'll find out later on.**

 _ **Maximusthenoble:**_ **Rayshipping is my favorite shipping of Pokémon. And I won't be including Galar or Alola in my story. Those regions just suck! Not sure about Z Moves though but we'll be sticking to just Kalos. No worries about dragapault. Ash and Cynthia will both catch Pokémon out of their usual roster as you may have already noticed. Thanks for the long review!**


	18. Lair of Lairon

**I've tried something new in this chapter. Review if you want more chapters of this type!**

 **Disclaimer: I Don't Own Pokémon.**

Xxx

 **Lair of Lairon**

"Here goes nothing." Ash breathed, Luxury Ball in hand. He opened it and released his Grass Type, Viper. Viper waved in greeting making him smile. "Hey girl. I'm about to release Lairon. It's the first time we're going to meet him. I want you to be prepared just in case he attacks."

The Grass Snake nodded and stood beside him. Personally, she also didn't think Lairon was going to go ahead with Ash capturing him so easily. There were multiple reasons to that.

One, they hadn't properly battled him. Ash had caught him just to save the Iron Armor Pokémon from Rhydon. If Ash had fought Lairon like Aron and properly captured him, she would've been more positive.

Second, Lairon wasn't too keen to meet new Pokémon or humans. He was pretty territorial and ill tempered. Lairon had attacked them without warning or reason.

Third, Lairon was full of ego. That was something Viper heavily disliked in someone. Lairon was strong and skilled, true, but not enough to be that arrogant. Hopefully Rhydon had smashed some ego out of him.

Those were enough reasons for her mistrust on Lairon. As Ash unclipped the Dusk Ball from his belt, the Unovan Starter resisted the urge to activate Overgrow.

"Here we go." Ash tossed the Dusk Ball, releasing the Iron Armor Pokémon. Viper stared passively as Lairon formed from the energy pooling out of the Dusk Ball, prepared for any sudden movement.

Lairon came out, looking around. Ash waited for him to get familiar with his surroundings. After a few moments, Ash tapped the floor with his foot to get his attention.

"Lairon." Ash began. "My name is Ash Ketchum." Lairon stared at him and growled angrily. Viper tensed up at that. "I caught you in Rock Tunnel after you were dished a beating from Rhydon. Remember?"

Rhydon's eyes flashed with recognition. He remembered the brutal damage that damned Drill Pokémon delivered to him. "I captured you to save you from further hurt."

Lairon evidently didn't see hear that line as he was busy staring at Viper. His mind clicked and he grunted warningly. Viper didn't reply, keeping a trained eye on him.

"I'm on a Pokémon journey to become the very best. I can make you very strong. So strong that you're rival Rhydon won't be able to defeat you ever again." Lairon gave Ash a nonplussed look.

He, a petty human, would train him to make _him_ strong? Talk about irony! He himself was a weakling! Lairon wanted to attack him to test his statement but the Viper's glare stopped him.

"What do you say Lairon?" Ash questioned. "Want to become a part of my team?" Lairon shook his head. No thank you! "Why?" Lairon's look was defining enough. "You don't think I'm strong enough?" He nodded.

Viper taunted that it was Lairon who took a beating from Rhydon, not them. They actually defeated him and captured him! Lairon clearly didn't believe that and added that it was their Bulbasaur who lost against him.

Viper retorted that Bulbasaur was the newest member of their team. If he really wanted to test them, he should try her. Lairon roared, accepting the challenge.

"You wanna fight Rhydon?" Ash questioned. The Iron Armor Pokémon gave a challenging grunt. "Ready Viper?" His snake nodded. "Want me to lead you or you got this?"

Viper pointed to him. She had enough of battling alone. It was time they practiced fighting together! Ash smiled and nodded. "Get ready Lairon! If you lose, you're agreeing with me and will get along with my team. If you win, I'll release you back in Rock Tunnel."

Lairon nodded and boosted up using Iron Defense. Viper used Swords Dance in return. "Overgrow Viper. Let's fight seriously." She nodded and a green glow surrounded her.

Lairon roared and charged.

The battle began.

Xxx

 _Before Being Captured…_

Lairon roared and let out a Metal Sound, making a couple of Geodude and Graveler run. Grunting triumphantly, Lairon rested down on the ground.

No one will enter his territory! If anyone did, they'll have to pay dearly with their life. Lairon wasn't scared of anyone, be it the local Geodude Evolutionary Line or that damned Rhydon!

Lairon grinned as he remembered the last time they had clashed. Rhydon was heavily hurt and had to retreat. Though Lairon pointedly ignored the fact that Rhydon was already hurt from a previous clash.

Once he managed to drive him away from his move, his territory would increase! No one would challenge him then! His territory was big enough but once he amassed his area too, he'll have a fifth of Rock Tunnel!

Lairon wanted to have a lot more than that but even he wouldn't go fight against the territorial Pokémon in the deeper level of Rock Tunnel. The levels where minerals were richer in the soil and tastier. The levels which Lairon wanted.

The Ground/Rock Type winced as he remembered the last time he entered the places. The Onix had damaged him pretty badly. No matter, Lairon would get stronger and then overtake them too!

Onto present matters, Lairon remembered the news his underlings had given him. A trainer was in the vicinity and after one of his underlings. Lairon didn't really care about any trainers as long as they didn't overstep in his territory. If they did, well…

Rock Tunnel wasn't that low on trainer deaths.

Lairon decided to take some rest, a bit tired from driving the weak Geodude from his territory. Maybe he'll have to set an example on what'll happen if anyone entered again.

That'll do it.

With that evil though, Lairon slipped into a power nap.

Xxx

Lairon was woken up by one of his underlings. Lairon grunted angrily and looked at the Aron who looked worried. The Aron quickly informed him that Rhydon was in the vicinity and clearly going after the trainer.

Lairon got up, wanting to see this debacle with his very eyes. The Iron Armor Pokémon saw his Aron still waiting and questioned what else he wanted to say.

The Aron replied that the trainer had captured one of them and would use it for his own selfish purposes. Lairon angrily replied that he failed to see how it bothered him. Clearly that Aron was too weak to defend itself and got captured. He deserved it.

Aron was dismissed and walked away leaving Lairon alone. He made way towards the trainer, wanting to finish Rhydon off once and for all. If the trainer managed to weaken the Drill Pokémon, he'll have a clear shot at him. Then, he'll have all that territory to himself!

Lairon heard some Pokémon conversing and grunted. The territorial Pokémon looked at them and saw not one, not two, but three Pokémon trespassing in his territory!

There was a Snivy, a Bulbasaur, and a Pikachu. No doubt belonging to the trainer. As much as Lairon wanted to reach the trainer first and see him battle Rhydon, he'll have to take care of those three first.

It wouldn't take long.

Lairon let out a Metal Sound making the trio flinch. They spotted him and tensed up for battle. Lairon slammed his feet in the ground, triggering sharp rocks towards them.

They moved out of the way and attacked back. The Pikachu unleashed a Thunderbolt which Lairon endured with a grunt and roared. The Bulbasaur shot forward vines that wrapped around his forelegs; pulling them from under him and making him fall down face first.

The Snivy jumped up and slammed a Leaf Blade in his head making him snarl in pain. Lairon quickly boosted up with Iron Defense and triggered a Rock Slide.

Large rocks fell down making the Pokémon jump away. They also did the job of concealing him. Lairon grinned as the vines retreated and used Dig, disappearing under the ground.

He reached under the Bulbasaur and came out with Iron Head. The Kanto Starter let out a pained cry from the strong attack. The Snivy hit him with Leaf Storm, knocking him out of the sky.

The Pikachu blasted him again with Thunderbolt. Lairon growled at the domination they were showing him. He'll have to be more careful now. As Lairon got up, he heard a shout and shudders run through the ground.

The Snivy and the Electric Mouse locked worried glanced making him grin. Lairon triggered another Rock Slide which they dodged and rushed the Grass Snake.

The Grass Type did not expect the Take Down and was sent flying back. Lairon grinned and was about to follow up when Bulbasaur put a stop to his momentum with Vine Whip.

Lairon turned and unleashed another Roar making Bulbasaur's vines loosen. He pulled the Grass Type towards him which Bulbasaur was able to resist and counter.

This time _he_ was taken by surprise as the mouse burst from under him, delivering a strong Dig followed by Flash. Lairon was temporarily blinded which he used and paralyzed him with Thunder Wave.

Lairon grunted in annoyance at the hindrance as he landed on his back. Quickly jerking himself back on his feet, Lairon unleashed another Stone Edge around him.

The Pikachu was forced to jump back lest get hit and stared at the Iron Armor Pokémon. Lairon strengthened himself again with Iron Defense and sent out two more Stone Edges towards the trio of Pokémon.

The Snivy jumped and unleashed a Leaf Storm that intercepted the sharp incoming rocks and cut them apart. The Bulbasaur unleashed an Energy Ball, hitting the remaining stones.

The pesky mouse covered the distance quickly and blasted Lairon with Thunderbolt, stunning him and then quickly used Flash. Lairon grunted at the sudden light, squeezing his eyes shut tight, and stumbled back.

He was hit by the Pikachu's Iron Tail and stumbled back. Expecting a follow up attack, Lairon quickly used Iron Defense. To his surprise, no attack followed up.

Lairon's eyes opened then and he growled when he saw the Pikachu and Snivy run away. He had half a mind to chase them when the Bulbasaur's Vine Whip got his attention.

Bulbasaur turned to him and prepared himself. He'll deal with those two runaways later. Bulbasaur was his target now. Bulbasaur, being the peaceful pokémon he was, questioned why exactly Lairon attacked them.

Lairon roared back, accusing them of trespassing his territory. Bulbasaur questioned the Iron Armor Pokémon that how exactly they were supposed to know this was his territory.

Lairon shot down the question by replying that it was their headache, not his. Bulbasaur held up a vine, offering a peace sign. He seriously didn't want to fight Lairon over such a silly matter.

Lairon bit back by saying that trespassers must be punished and that was what the trio was. Bulbasaur sighed, shaking his head and replying that violence was never the answer to anything.

Lairon snorted, replying that it _was,_ in fact, the answer to every matter. At least it was for him. Bulbasaur sighed and then fired off an Energy Ball. Lairon was unable to dodge it due to paralysis.

Bulbasaur swung off Razor Leaf towards the dual type who rushed forwards, deflecting them with Iron Head. Bulbasaur growled and fired off an Energy Ball instead.

Lairon didn't pause, breaking through the ball, and tackled Bulbasaur. The Seed Pokémon stumbled back but held his ground, using Mega Drain.

Lairon snarled as the tendrils wrapped around his midsection and began to suck energy out of him. He let out an ear splitting Metal Sound, tearing the Mega Drain apart from the sound and hurting Bulbasaur too.

Lairon slammed into Bulbasaur with Take Down, pushing him back and then triggered a point blank Stone Edge. Bulbasaur was sent stumbling back, hitting the ground hard.

Lairon roared triumphantly and triggered another Rock Slide. Bulbasaur, panting from the damage, summoned a green barrier around him.

Large rocks fell atop them but failed to hurt the Seed Pokémon. The Rock Slide finished and Bulbasaur let the Protect fall. The Grass/Poison Type got up and looked around, trying to spot the territorial Pokémon.

He forgot to remember that Lairon had Dig in his arsenal and paid dearly for it. Sent flying in the air with a Take Down, Bulbasaur was subjected to another Stone Edge upon landing.

Lairon disoriented him further with Roar and then triggered one final Stone Edge. Bulbasaur triggered another Protect, managing to block the Stone Edge, and threw Razor Leaves forward.

Lairon rushed forward, Iron Head deflecting the attacks, and jumped in the air. Bulbasaur's vines wrapped around thin air when Lairon landed on him, his heavy body burying Bulbasaur down assisted with the momentum.

Lairon let out another Metal Sound, wanting to test whether Bulbasaur actually fainted, and grunted triumphantly at the results. Getting off the Seed Pokémon, he quickly headed towards the sound of collisions of Rhydon.

The Snivy and Pikachu were stronger than this plant Pokémon hybrid, Lairon snorted. Hopefully they'll be able to deliver a better challenge to him.

Lairon reached the spot of fighting and saw Rhydon staring down the Grass Snake. His eyes fit on the trainer who was lying on the ground, face petrified. Lairon would deal with him after finishing off Rhydon and the intruders.

Lairon scanned Rhydon and tried to hide his disappointment when he failed to see much damage on the Drill Pokémon. Lairon suddenly remembered about the Seadra that this trainer had. Did Rhydon take care of him too?

That was one less Pokémon to take care of. Lairon wasn't sure he would be able to take down a Seadra too. They were strong aquatic Pokémon.

As Lairon prepared to rush Rhydon, he felt Rhydon's gaze shift to him. The Rock/Ground Type lifted his tail and slammed it down, triggering a Stone Edge aimed towards him.

Rhydon roared challengingly and replied with his own Stone Edge. The two stones met and crashed against the other. Rhydon's Stone Edge broke through, however, and Lairon had to rush forwards with Iron Head.

Rhydon raised his arm and slammed it down on his Iron Head, the Hammer Arm delivering heavy damage to him and breaking his momentum too.

Lairon snarled and was kicked back by Rhydon. Quickly recovering, Lairon eased the damage of the following attacks with Iron Defense and then tried Roar.

Rhydon wasn't fazed so Lairon shifted to Metal Sound. This forced Rhydon to wince a bit and Rhydon dug into the ground quickly. Rhydon snorted and raised one of his feet to trigger a powerful Earthquake that'll surely finish Lairon off.

The Iron Armor Pokémon was ready, however, and slammed into Rhydon instantly before he could prepare his Earthquake. Rhydon was sent stumbling back from the hit and Lairon carried on with Iron Head.

Rhydon grabbed Lairon's body and slammed him on the ground, rushing forward with Bulldoze. Lairon staggered from the heavy blow and Rhydon followed up with Hammer Arm.

Lairon felt his legs give out on him and collapsed. Rhydon grabbed him and slammed him down brutally, kicking him and using Stone Edge for further damage.

Lairon groaned in pain from the brutal hits and saw Rhydon approaching again. His eyes closed and darkness swallowed his vision. He could've sworn Rhydon was taunting him when something light tapped him.

Lairon felt an unfamiliar sensation go over him, sucking him. Lairon was too weak to resist and was sucked into a place not too unfamiliar from his home.

Before Lairon could even understand the sudden changes, he was captured in a Dusk Ball.

Xxx

Lairon vaguely knew that he was summoned from his new home. The thing he knew a lot better than that was that his entire body ached. Rhydon didn't pull any punches on him, sometimes literally.

Lairon briefly felt someone tend to him and cover his injuries sloppily. Lairon tried his best to regain consciousness since it was getting easier by each passing second.

As the pain turned a lot more bearable, Lairon stirred. He was returned to his new Dusk Ball moments later.

The next time he was out was when a Chansey properly tended to him and nursed him back to full health.

Xxx

Lairon stared at the trainer, clearly refusing to believe him or follow his demands. He wanted him to follow his commands and assist him in his journey? Just because he saved him from that Rhydon?

Lairon couldn't help but feel his ego get the better of him at the thought. The Iron Armor Pokémon couldn't believe he had lost so horribly against the Drill Pokémon! That battled went south real quick.

His eyes settled on the Viper and he tensed. Someone will have to pay for all that inconvenience! Thankfully, he had a nice target right in front of him. That darn Snivy.

Lairon lunged at her and the battle began.

Xxx

Viper jumped away, avoiding his Iron Head, and unleashed a Leaf Storm. Lairon quickly boosted his defenses with Iron Defense and endured it with a grunt.

Ash was impressed. Lairon had some serious defenses to take on an Overgrow boosted Leaf Storm from Viper. "Vine Whip! Trip him!" Viper landed down and shot her vines towards Lairon.

Lairon _roared_ loudly making Viper flinch. He rushed forwards, hitting the Grass Snake with Iron Head despite Ash's warning. Viper hit the ground in front of Ash, quickly rolling back up.

Lairon closed the distance again with Take Down. Viper retaliated with her Leaf Blade. The two physical attacks struggled against the other, at a standstill.

Then Lairon used Metal Sound making Viper flinch and hit her hard again. Viper hit the ground hard and Ash's newest capture carried on the momentum with Stone Edge.

"Watch out!" Ash hollered. Viper saw the Stone Edge approaching but was unable to do anything. The sharp stones hit her and sent her flying.

Lairon laughed arrogantly at Viper's defenseless state as the Grass Snake got up, panting. Viper snarled at him, telling him not to get too overconfident.

"Stay calm Viper." Ash told her. "We can do it. I believe in you." Viper nodded and breathed out though her anger nearly resurfaced at Lairon's look.

The Iron Armor Pokémon gave her a chiding look, taunting that Viper was nothing without her trainer. Viper paused, giving him a cold stare. "Stay calm girl." Ash told her. Viper cut off her stare and readied herself.

A strange energy rose above the battlefield, taking the forms of boulders. Viper recognized this strategy before and gestured Ash to stay calm. Ash nodded and gave her free reign.

As the rocks from Rock Slide began to rain down, Viper jumped and unleashed a Leaf Storm all around her. The sharp leaves sliced the large boulders to small piece and Viper landed on the ground, Lairon nowhere in sight.

The ground under her shook and Viper jumped back, an Energy Ball ready. Lairon was _not_ ready for that and got hit on his comparatively weak underbelly.

"Great job!" Viper jumped in the air and unleashed a Leaf Tornado that impacted Lairon hard. The Iron Armor Pokémon utilized Iron Defense wonderfully, managing to avoid the brunt of it.

He then let out another Metal Sound making Viper wince and step back a bit. Lairon dug underground, wanting to avoid getting overwhelmed. Viper looked around warily, wanting to avoid any further damage.

"Grassy Terrain Viper!" The Grass Snake obliged, reaching inside her and drawing the hidden energy out. The battlefield took a greenish tint in response to the attack.

While in Rock Tunnel, Ash had his entire team work on their egg moves. Viper was able to use Grassy Terrain quicker and more efficiently now. Though she hadn't truly unlocked it and needed the push from Overgrow.

Viper's eyes snapped down and she jumped back, avoiding Lairon's Dig. The Iron Armor Pokémon let out an ear splitting Metal Sound as soon as appearing and Viper cringed.

Lairon grinned evilly and set out a Stone Edge, hitting the defenseless Viper and dealing nice damage. Viper recovered as soon as she could and unleashed a Leaf Storm.

Lairon avoided it by digging back into the battlefield. Viper gasped, feeling tired. Ash looked over the battlefield, trying to figure out a way to end it quickly.

If Viper went in too close, Lairon would use Metal Sound. If she played at a distance, Lairon would close in the distance with Dig, Take Down, or Iron Head.

' _He's good.'_ Ash thought through gritted teeth. _'We would've been toast had Rhydon not taken down him first.'_ Viper felt Lairon approaching again and jumped in the air with Vine Whip.

Lairon burst out just below her and Viper smiled slyly. Twisting in the air, she slapped her boosted Leaf Blade right in his face. Lairon grunted and was thrown down.

Viper didn't let go of the Leaf Blade, twisting and slamming it into Lairon again. The Iron Armor Pokémon let out another Metal Sound due to the close proximity.

Viper pushed through, using Mega Drain. The tendrils wrapped around Lairon's midsection and began to suck energy from him. The heavily boosted Grass Type attack hurt him and Viper pressed on.

Boosting with Swords Dance, Viper began to slash the cave dweller with repeated Leaf Blades. Lairon shut up with Metal Sound and instead went on the defense.

Viper boosted up with Swords Dance again in response to Iron Defense and continued. Lairon pulled himself together and called for a Rock Slide. Large boulders formed and fell around the battlefield, aimed mostly on himself.

Viper jumped back lest get hit and Lairon lunged. His Take Down took Viper by surprise and she skidded back. Lairon blocked the rocks with Iron Head, the silvery sheen around him blocking the rocks, and rushed at Viper.

The Grass Snake narrowly avoided it by twisting to the side and jumped back with Vine Whip. Lairon snarled and unleashed another Stone Edge towards her.

Viper landed down and stumbled. The incoming rocks landed a clean hit and sent her flying back. "Viper!" Ash called out, rushing forward and catching her.

The Grassy Terrain ended and the glow around Viper faded as well. Lairon roared challengingly while Ash cradled the weak Unovan Starter in his arms.

"You did a great job Viper." Ash told as she stirred. Viper gave Ash a disappointed look, no doubt on herself. "Hey, don't worry. You did just fine against him." Viper lips curled in a small smile. "Atta girl." Ash pulled out her Luxury Ball. "I'm returning you to your Luxury Ball now. Rest up."

Viper was sucked in by the golden light. Ash attached the pokéball on his belt and looked at Lairon. The Iron Armor Pokémon was pretty hurt and panting from the damage.

"Before I release you," Ash hollered. "Someone wants to settle the score." Ash threw the normal pokéball and Bulbasaur formed out, glaring at Lairon.

Lairon gave him a nasty grin and chortled about his loss against him in Rock Tunnel. Bulbasaur did his best to not fall to his bait, simply replying with a calm look.

Lairon gestured to Ash and said that he must be really desperate if he had to rely on _him_ of all Pokémon to fight against him. Even that Snivy bitch was better than him.

Bulbasaur simply replied that his trainer believed in him and he won't let him down. Lairon rolled his eyes at the cheesy line, chortling that Viper also said the same thing and then got knocked out real soon.

Lairon added that if Viper didn't stand a chance against him, what chance did a plant Pokémon hybrid have? Bulbasaur exhaled, deciding that was enough.

Bulbasaur shouted to him a challenge. If he lost, then he'll have to join them on Ash's journey. If he won, then Bulbasaur would do anything he asked him to do.

Lairon gave him a calculating look, questioning if Bulbasaur would be his servant for his entire life. Bulbasaur nodded, questioning whether Lairon was prepared for the deal.

Lairon shrugged, replying that it was his funeral. Ash decided that it was high time to begin. "Bulbasaur use Vine Whip!" Bulbasaur unleashed his vines towards the Iron Armor Pokémon who blocked them with Iron Defense.

He then rushed forwards with Iron Head. "Razor Leaf into Energy Ball!" Bulbasaur had tried this method before but decided to give it another try. "Aim for Lairon's feet!"

Now he was talking.

Lairon grunted as the sharp leaves raked across his feet slowing down hi speed. Bulbasaur unleashed his Energy Ball, stopping Lairon completely and making him stumble back.

Bulbasaur's Vines hit his legs, wrapping around them and pulling them out from under him. Lairon dropped down and Bulbasaur began to suck all energy from him using Mega Drain.

Lairon didn't let it occur and used Stone Edge, sending sharp rocks towards Bulbasaur. The Seed Pokémon blasted them with Energy Ball, his vines wrapping tighter around Lairon.

Lairon let out another Metal Sound, wanting to escape this predicament. Bulbasaur endured it much better than Viper, wincing slightly but not letting go of Lairon.

"Great job Bulbasaur!" Ash encouraged. "Use Energy Ball!" Bulbasaur obliged, letting out the attack. It hit Lairon, making him cancel his Metal Sound.

Bulbasaur grunted, questioning how he felt about him now. Lairon was too tired to reply, simply waiting for the Mega Drain to finish him off. Bulbasaur did as he asked, pulling back once he slackened.

"And the deed's done!" Ash announced as Bulbasaur pulled back. "Great job Bulbasaur, don't get worked up now." Bulbasaur nodded, his revenge taken.

Ever since Bulbasaur learned about Ash's injuries in Rock Tunnel, he had been a bit hard on himself. Ash, who had been pretty busy with his injuries and Charmander, didn't know about that until Viper pulled it to his attention.

Ash had approached Bulbasaur on why he felt like that and the Seed Pokémon replied that if only he was able to take down Lairon and reach them faster, Ash wouldn't be in such a condition.

Ash had smiled and consoled him by saying that Lairon actually helped them take down Rhydon and that Bulbasaur's loss didn't affect them that much.

Bulbasaur still wanted his revenge on the Iron Armor Pokémon though. Ash wasn't sure why the normally passive Grass/Poison Type Pokémon was so worked up with a loss.

It was Zeus who told him why exactly. The Electric Mouse Pokémon told him that Lairon was full of ego and didn't want a peaceful ending despite Bulbasaur's tries. He had actually attacked them just cause they accidently trespassed in his territory.

Ash remembered how pissed he got when Gary got too cocky or arrogant and replied that he could relate. But at least Gary didn't attack him. Lairon was worse than him for sure.

Ash promised them that he would give them a chance at Lairon to rid of their frustrations. Bulbasaur was too happy for him to be comfortable with it. After he had promised that he wouldn't go that far for revenge Ash agreed.

But, knowing Bulbasaur's caliber, Ash wasn't sure he'll be able to take down Lairon alone. That's when Viper came into play. She wanted a shot at Lairon too and Ash wanted to battle with her too.

It was a win-win.

"Let's see how badly you roughed him up." Ash joked to Bulbasaur. The Seed Pokémon nodded and they approached the downed Iron Armor Pokémon. Ash decided to ask the question nagging his mind though he already knew the answer.

"So, you're going back to your cave?" Ash questioned the Iron Armor Pokémon as he struggled to get up. Bulbasaur's attacks were no joke.

Lairon growled, remembering the bet he had made with Bulbasaur. Cursing his own loud mouth, Lairon shook his head. "Huh?" Ash asked in surprise. "You're not?" Lairon nodded. "You want to stay with me?"

Lairon nodded grudgingly. "That's a nice change of events." Ash commented. He turned to Bulbasaur who was trying his best to hide his smirk. "Great job Bulbasaur. I hope you've taken your revenge now." He nodded. Oh, he has taken a lot more than just revenge from Lairon!

"I'll send you to Nurse Joy now Lairon." Ash told his Iron Armor Pokémon. "Rest up." Returning him to his Dusk Ball, Ash turned to Bulbasaur. "You too Bulbasaur." Returning his second Grass Type, Ash headed inside the Pokémon Center.

Xxx

Feeling restless at night was when Ash decided he needed to make a move on.

He had wasted what, two months in Rock Tunnel training. Ash couldn't afford to let any more time go to waste. He'll have to begin collecting Gym Badges.

But that came later. Right now, he needed to get a Ghost Type. Ash would fight Erika first, get some TMs, train up, and then challenge Sabrina.

Yes, he was gunning after Sabrina. The Psychic was strong, true, but Ash was confident in his training. His team had expanded quite a bit and though he didn't have any real counters against the overpowered Psychic Pokémon, he'll get them in the form of his Ghost.

After that, Ash could fight Lt. Surge and surely get the Thunder Badge. Viper, Bulbasaur, Zeus and even Lairon all of them had nice counters against Electric Types. Only Oceanus and Skylar would have trouble against them.

That was as far as he had planned. Though the Kantonian was sure his plans would change as they seemed to have from the starting of his journey.

Ash finished packing his bag and slung his bag over his shoulder. "Let's go buddy." Ash told Charmander. The Fire Type was returned to his pokéball and Ash left his room.

"You leaving?" Nurse Joy questioned Ash as he walked down the stairs. The rookie nodded. "Why exactly? Your injuries haven't healed yet."

"I need to get going Nurse Joy." Ash told her apologetically. "I've spent too long in Rock Tunnel and already a week here. I cannot afford losing any more time. I need to collect badges too."

She sighed. "You still have to keep your travelling at a limit." She told him. "Don't push yourself. If you do, you'll end up in a hospital again. Take medicines at the scheduled time. Okay?" Ash nodded.

"You're starting to sound like my Mom." Ash told her teasingly. Nurse Joy smiled.

"Couldn't help it." The two chuckled. "Stay safe Ash. Also, try to have at least two Pokémon out at all times." The rookie gave her a questioning look.

"Why exactly?" Ash asked.

"The route to Lavender Town has a lot of Ghost Types." She explained. "They're starting to act up and there have been reports of attacks. They're normally shy and don't attack. Don't know why they're acting up right now."

"I'll keep that in mind." Ash told her. "Are my Pokémon ready?" Nurse Joy nodded and handed over the trio of different pokéballs. "Thanks."

"Safe journey." She wished. Ash dipped his head in acknowledgement and walked out of the center. It was high time he continued his journey.

Lavender Town, a hotspot for trainers wanting to capture Ghost Types.

One of them being Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town.

Xxx

 **So we delve a bit deeper in Lairon's perspective! Character development in progress! I have about twenty (Yes, twenty) chapters planned and have a rough idea down. Just need to pen them down. I hope to cross at least 50 chapters by the end of 2020 so fingers crossed guys! Keep the support coming!**

 **Response to Reviews:**

 _ **Guest:**_ **For one, Cynthia isn't a side piece. She's one of the two main protagonists of Conqueror alongside Ash. Second, Ash was still in Rock Tunnel at the time of last chapter so I didn't have much to write about him too. Now that he's out of it and about to make a move, he'll have a lot of chapters on him too.**

 _ **Issei182:**_ **Here comes another update then! You ask we serve!**

 _ **Snoozing Lurker:**_ **She's going to hide a lot of stuff of her journey XD.**

 _ **UltimateCCC:**_ **Yup.**

 _ **Cobb:**_ **Thanks for the review!**

 _ **Guest123:**_ **Yeah. I noticed that a bit too late. I'll adjust it later on. Thanks for informing me of that.**

 _ **Fandom35:**_ **I don't know. I haven't proofread my chapters yet so excuse the errors. I'll rectify any errors I find once I proofread. Thanks for bringing that to light.**


	19. Hatching

**Do tell me if you prefer chapters of 8k-10k length chapters or chapter with 5k-6k length. The latter take less time to make which means less time to upload while the former take a bit longer to prepare. Choice is yours readers!**

 **Sorry for the late update, was having Writer's Block!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.**

Xxx

 **Hatching!**

Cynthia was enjoying Route 16 immensely.

She was happy to be on her own in the wild again. Celadon City was nice, if a bit populated. After spending so long in the wild, the blonde started to prefer it more than civilization.

The mayor had rewarded her nifty amount of money too. Cynthia had refilled on all of her supplies, buying a surplus amount just in case. She didn't plan to stay on Route 16 that long but it never hurt to be prepared.

Route 16 was a pretty short route. Cynthia wasn't sure why they couldn't just call it Route 17 altogether. It wasn't as if Route 16 was something crucial.

It acted as a connecter between Celadon and Route 17. Very few trainers and wild Pokémon wandered around it. Pokémon like Drowzee and Meowth, who had adjusted to cities, resided here majorly.

Route 16 would be over pretty soon, Cynthia knew that. She'll most probably cross it by tonight or tomorrow morning. It was a short walk which would prepare her for the long walk that came in the form of Route 17.

Route 17 was a very big stretch. Easily the biggest route in Kanto. Cynthia wasn't sure how long it'll take to be completely covered. It'll take more than a month that much was certain.

But the journey to Fuchsia didn't end just yet. Route 18 still existed, and it was pretty lengthy as well. Cynthia didn't want to extend it, but she was sure it'll take around two months to reach Fuchsia.

The blonde was a bit overwhelmed from the amount of time she'll have to spend in the wild. But she couldn't back down.

She'll never will.

And here she was. Traversing Route 16 with no one but only her Pokémon at her side. The blonde wasn't worried.

"You know Roselia," The blonde idly conversed with her Grass Type. "Our egg is about to hatch soon. Excited?" Roselia nodded. The Thorn Pokémon awaited his arrival more than the blonde herself.

"I wonder what species it'll be." The blonde told the Grass/Poison Type. "I've already asked it countless times but no one has replied. Nurse Joy said that she wanted it to be a secret." Cynthia puffed her cheeks. "While I do like secrets, I don't really stand them." She told Roselia.

Cynthia saw a trainer, an uncommon occurrence on this route. Cynthia prepared for it. "Want to fight this one Roselia?" The Grass Type nodded.

And Cynthia fought the first battle of her long journey.

Xxx

Viper was at a dilemma.

She had been feeling a strange energy collecting inside her from the past few days yet she wasn't able to harness it. The Snivy had asked Mystic about it but she didn't know anything about it.

Viper wanted to ask Zeus about it but since Ash had sent him to Professor Oak's lab at the current moment, she wasn't sure who else to consult.

Ash may know about it but the Grass Snake doubted it. He wasn't a Pokémon for one. She didn't know how to properly explain it to him as well.

Maybe Skylar would know about it. She was a fellow Pokémon though the two hadn't interacted much. Viper wanted to talk to everyone in the team a bit more, including Lairon.

The Rock/Steel Type was part of the team now; she'll have to put up with him.

"Anything up Viper?" Ash questioned his Grass Type. She had been oddly quiet. Viper snapped out of her train of thoughts and nodded. "You're zoning out. That's out of your character." Viper shrugged.

Route 10 was a rocky straight route with the sea not far away by the side. Not many trainers resided on Route 10 due to its nature. Ash actually liked that fact. It meant he would be able to travel faster and reach Lavender Town.

Off course, his injuries were slowing him down as always. The Palletian wondered sometimes why he got injured so much. She wouldn't be surprised if someone ambushed him here…

"Missing Zeus?" Ash questioned Viper. The Grass Snake shook her head. "Then what's the problem? You can tell me girl." Ash pressed. Viper collected her thoughts and replied.

She tried to explain to the best of her ability about the strange energy emanating inside her and how it was making her feel giddy and restless sometimes. To her surprise, Ash seemed to know why exactly she was feeling like that.

"You're feeling the energy that causes a Pokémon to evolve." Ash told her. Viper looked at him with attention. "Zeus felt like that when he was a Pichu. He woke us up midnight because he was pretty close to evolving."

Viper nodded, finally understanding that. "You're about to evolve Viper!" Ash told her enthusiastically. "You'll be a Servine then." Viper didn't seem so excited about it though.

Viper questioned Ash if Zeus changed after evolving. Ash considered the question before replying. "He lost his prankster attitude." Ash informed. "As a Pichu, he looked to prank me. He shocked me to consciousness every morning." Ash told the Grass Snake, feeling nostalgic. That was so long ago at the beginning of his journey.

"But he gradually lost that part of him after evolving into a Pikachu." Ash continued. "Everyone changes given time. Don't think evolution will change you completely or anything Viper." The Grass Type considered it. "It's a part of life."

"We should embrace changes instead of running away from them." Ash continued. "If we don't change, we'll stagnate." Viper knew about that. She had changed. Changed from the hating snake she was to a… well, less hating snake?

"Have you asked Skylar about it?" Ash asked. "She'll know a lot more about evolution and can provide you better answers." Viper nodded. She hadn't questioned her yet. Ash grabbed the Pidgeotto's pokéball and enlarged it.

"Skylar! I choose you!" The avian came out, shrieking dominantly. She landed on Ash's other shoulder, chirping in greeting. Ash gestured to Viper. "She wants to ask you something." Ash told her, knowing that the two weren't well acquainted.

Skylar looked at Viper who asked her about evolution. Skylar considered the question before asking her to question _what_ she wanted to know about evolution. Viper replied that she wanted to know whether evolution changed someone or not.

Skylar replied that it depended on the one evolving. Personally, she didn't change much after evolving. Just got a lot more confident. Viper replied with Zeus's example, saying that he changed a lot after evolving.

Skylar repeated her answer and asked that was Viper afraid of changing? Viper shook her head resiliently at the accusation. Why would she be afraid of change?

But deep down, Viper knew that she didn't want to change. She was afraid of changes. She didn't want to leave her unique personality just to change into a Servine.

Skylar said that if changing was the reason Viper was so wary of evolving, she should remember that she'll change overtime anyway. No one remains the same for long.

She added that after evolving, a person _matured_ instead of changing as she so put it. Viper considered that and nodded. Skylar questioned if she wanted to know anything else to which Viper shook her head. That much was enough.

Skylar took off from Ash's shoulder, telling Viper that she was going to stretch her wings. The Grass Snake nodded and thought about the information Skylar had told her.

Would she change? Viper didn't know.

All she knew was the evolutional energy inside her was rising.

Xxx

 _Three Weeks Later…_

By each passing days the hatching neared. Cynthia was getting more excited. She had finished Route 9 pretty quickly and was about a third quarter through Route 10 when the egg hatched.

It was about nighttime and Cynthia, tired from the long walk and battles, had finished serving food to her Pokémon. In her lap was the incubator and inside was the dark blue egg.

"When are you going to hatch?" Cynthia told him. "You've been giving all the signs of hatching since the past three weeks yet you still haven't hatched. Hurry up." Cynthia told him.

The egg shook at that. A thin crack formed at the top making Cynthia blink. The blonde rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't dreaming when the crack widened.

"He's evolving." Cynthia announced to her team, pulling the egg out of the incubator and setting it down on a towel. Squirtle walked forwards, knocking he'll have to wash the amniotic fluid off the newborn first.

Cynthia's entire team stopped eating and stared at the egg. The smile on Cynthia's face stretched from one cheek to another. The blonde couldn't wait! She had waited so long for this!

As the cracks continued to spread, her excitement grew. There was a cry, and a head came out of the top. Cynthia's eyes grew wide as she vaguely knew about the species.

The egg fully hatched, revealing a small, blue canine Pokémon. It stared around, trying to find its parent when its eyes landed on Cynthia.

'Mom?' The infant spoke up, surprising Cynthia. She looked around to find if someone else had heard it but given their reactions, none did.

"Hey Riolu," Cynthia greeted back with a bright smile. She gestured to Squirtle who told Riolu that he'll wash him off first. Riolu looked at his parental figure for confirmation. "Don't worry."

Squirtle inhaled and sprayed the newborn baby with lukewarm water. Riolu blinked at the liquid but adjusted pretty soon. Cynthia gestured Squirtle to stop after a few moments and picked Riolu up with the towel.

"You can talk Riolu?" Cynthia questioned him while wiping him with the towel. Riolu giggled when Cynthia tickled him on his stomach. "Aren't you a cutie Riolu?" She said, leaning in and nuzzling him.

As the blonde played with her new Pokémon, her team formed up on her. Cynthia turned to them with a smile. "Riolu, this is our family." Cynthia told them. "Why don't you meet them yourself?"

Riolu shook his head frantically, clutching Cynthia's neck tightly. Cynthia winced a bit at the force Riolu applied. He _was_ a Fighting Type, after all. "Don't worry Riolu." Cynthia told him with a genuine smile.

Riolu wasn't letting up however making her relent instead. "Okay then. I'll introduce you to them, okay?" Riolu nodded, letting go of her neck but still staying pretty close to her.

"This is Braixen, my starter." Cynthia gestured to the Fire Fox. Braixen raised her stick in a warm greeting. Riolu shyly waved back. "This is Nidorino, my first capture." The overprotective Poison Type growled in response.

Riolu felt intimidated from him and let out a scared cry. 'He's scaring me!' Riolu whined. Cynthia held him a bit tightly, giving a reassuring look.

"Don't worry Riolu," Cynthia told him. "He may look scary, but he's a big softie from the inside." Riolu looked at Nidorino again who looked a bit hurt from his reaction.

Riolu waved to him as well, uttering an apology. Nidorino nodded, accepting it. Cynthia smiled at the bonding and turned to Roselia. "That beautiful flower," Roselia giggled at the description. "Is Roselia." Roselia released a soothing aroma in response. Riolu relaxed immediately and waved excitedly at her. Cynthia beamed at the interaction. Riolu would most definitely be spending a lot of time with her.

"Then we have Buizel." The Sea Weasel stood there; face betraying none of his emotions. "He may not show it, but he cares for everyone." Riolu looked at the Water Type who stood there, arms crossed.

'Doesn't seem all that nice.' Riolu grumbled. Cynthia gave the newborn a look.

"Don't act like that Riolu. Everyone's nice." Riolu pouted a bit at that. Cynthia turned to the last Pokémon. "Last but not the least is Squirtle." The Water Turtle gave Riolu a smirk, acting all cool. Riolu felt impressed and gave him a bit of an awe filled greeting. "He's your cool uncle."

Cynthia wanted to introduce Riolu to Ash too but unfortunately he wasn't here. She felt a pang of sadness in her heart. Ash's Charmander must've hatched by now and she was sure Riolu would love meeting another Pokémon his age.

'You okay Mom?' Riolu questioned her. Cynthia gave him an assuring smile.

"Yup." She looked at her team. "So Riolu, why don't you go interact with everyone?" Riolu gave her a wary look. "Don't worry, I'm right here. No one will hurt you."

Riolu gave in this time and Cynthia let him down. Riolu immediately headed over to Roselia's side, feeling secure there. As her entire team began to interact with him, she put the towel and the empty incubator back in her backpack.

She sat down, feeling the tiredness crawl over her again. Riolu's hatching had given her some really needed energy but the adrenaline was now over.

She gestured Braixen over. The Fire Type walked over, looking at her trainer. "I'm going to fall asleep now." Cynthia told him. "Take care of Riolu, okay?"

Braixen questioned that she didn't eat anything. "I'll eat later. Feeling really exhausted now." Braixen nodded and Cynthia smiled. "Goodnight Braixen." Cynthia's eyes shut after that.

Sleep overtook her within moments.

Xxx

Viper didn't know why she was not evolving.

Every time she felt the energy surge to its limit inside her, it didn't release. Instead, it got restrained and after a few moments of excruciating stress, died back down.

The Grass Snake didn't know what was more worrying, the fact that she was unable to evolve or the exhaustion that followed when she failed to evolve.

She would talk to Ash about it today. Maybe Skylar or Mystic. The two must know about it, especially the latter since she had evolved. Ash may be able to give her some insight on it too.

One morning, Viper felt her evolution nearing her during breakfast. She had just swallowed a pellet of her Pokémon food when a bright white glow surrounded her.

Her teammates, unaware of her struggle with evolution, watched on in awe. Viper clenched her fists as the energy surged inside her, heart beat fastening.

Viper let out a pained cry as the energy fought against itself, twisting and burning her from within. She could faintly hear someone shouting in concern as she collapsed on the ground.

The bright white glow began to flicker, intensifying for a few moments. Viper felt dizziness overtake her as various visions made themselves known.

Old memories arose, memories she had thought she had moved on. Viper felt her body forcibly fight against changing. Viper let out a pained scream before collapsing down.

The glow around her dimmed before emitting outwards in a spectacular fashion. Viper drove the energy out of her forcibly, feeling all of her energy getting sucked out of her.

The Snivy went limp, panting heavily. Immediately someone picked her up. The Grass Type vaguely knew who it was but in her semi-conscious state, nothing was clear.

"Viper? Viper!"

Xxx

When Cynthia woke, she saw something that warmed her heart.

Riolu was next to him, clutching her tightly as his head rested on her chest. She had unconsciously wrapped her arms around the baby, pulling him close to her.

Nidorino was asleep close to Riolu, most probably to guard the rare Pokémon. Braixen was next to Cynthia, curled up around Squirtle who had withdrawn in his shell.

Buizel was asleep a little away. Cynthia smiled at a bit at the relaxed look on his face. Buizel always acted so tough around everyone but this was a one of the few rare occasions he was relaxed.

She winced a bit at the sun began to beat down it unforgiving heat. The hottest period of summer was approaching in a couple of weeks. Her journey would be its hardest at that point.

Cynthia rubbed Riolu's back soothingly, thinking about the Fighting Type. She hadn't scanned Riolu yet and didn't know much about the species. Riolu were rare to find and even rarer to study.

Cynthia wanted to slap herself hard. She didn't even bother to capture the Fighting Type last night to confirm it belonged to her. What if someone had swooped in and stole him?

The blonde doubted that. Nidorino wouldn't let anyone get near them and roar so loud everyone would wake up. Still, Cynthia could've just captured him just to make sure.

'Hey Mom.' Riolu greeted. Cynthia looked down, finding the Emanation Pokémon already up.

"Good morning Riolu." Cynthia greeted back. "I'm going to capture you now." She reached for her backpack, something she had been using as a makeshift pillow, and pulled out a pokéball.

'What is that?' Riolu questioned curiously.

"That's a pokéball." His mother explained. "This will mark that you belong to me. No one will be able to mark you as someone else's then." Riolu looked at the sphere with surprise.

'It can really do that?' Riolu asked. Cynthia smiled in reply.

"Why don't you find out?" Cynthia handed the Fighting Type the pokéball. Riolu inspected it curiously, accidently tapping the capture button.

He was really surprised as he was sucked inside the pokéball. The pokéball dinged after a few moments and Cynthia released him out. Riolu gave Cynthia an astonished look.

'What was that?!' He exclaimed.

"Now, you belong to me." Cynthia told him.

'Could've warned me Mom.' Riolu grumbled. Cynthia giggled.

"Let's get going now." The blonde stretched and shook off any lingering sleep off her. "Guys, get up." She told them, shaking Braixen. The Fire Fox opened one eye and got up with a sleepy yawn.

"Let's get this day going." Cynthia said, getting up. Braixen woke everyone up and Cynthia started the day off with one of the most important matters. "Riolu, I'm going to scan you first." She pulled out her pokedex and aimed it at him.

" **Riolu the Emanation Pokémon. It uses the shapes of auras, which change according to emotion, to communicate with others. This Riolu is Male and has the ability Steadfast. It knows the following moves: Foresight, Force Palm, Endure and Quick Attack. Egg Move is Bullet Punch."**

"You're pretty strong." Cynthia told the curious Emanation Pokémon. "We'll get you even stronger in the upcoming days, okay Riolu?" The Fighting Type nodded.

"But for now, we need to get going. Fuchsia City is pretty far away." She told him. "So, let's get started."

Xxx

"What happened to her?" Viper faintly heard someone ask, concern present. "I need to ask Professor Oak about this." Viper opened her eyes with some effort and saw Ash typing in his pokedex.

Viper turned as Mystic approached her, yipping in concern. She leaned in, nuzzling her soothingly. Viper leaned into her touch, feeling some much needed comfort.

The Eevee helped Viper in a sitting position, letting her lean against the Evolution Pokémon. Viper felt her head grow dizzy and gripped Mystic tightly.

"Easy girl." Ash told her, lifting her up and placing her in his lap. "How're you feeling Viper?" The Grass Snake gave Ash a small smile, wanting to assure him. "Don't look like it." His pokégear beeped. "One minute please."

Viper lay back down, closing her eyes. She heard someone walk up to her and opened one eye.

It was Charmander, giving her a concerned look. He gave a small, sad cry making her feel guilty. Viper let out a shaky vine which rubbed against his cheek, assuring him that she was fine.

Charmander stepped forwards and placed a paw on her face. Viper smiled at the gesture and forcibly got up. Ash noticed that and helped her stand.

Bulbasaur reached them by then, offering a vine. Viper nodded, gesturing to her waist, and he wrapped his vine around her waist. Charmander questioned what had happened to his favorite aunt.

Viper didn't have proper answer to that so Bulbasaur had to intervene. He said that his aunt was tired due to not sleeping on time and if he wanted to remain strong, he must sleep on time.

Charmander, being little and naïve, bought it easily. Bulbasaur then told Charmander to let his aunt rest and gestured Mystic over. The Eevee came over and took him a bit away.

Skylar landed on Ash's shoulder, chirping something to him. Viper gave her a confused look and Skylar replied that she had gone to see if there was any Pokémon Center near them.

"Was there any Pokémon Center near?" Ash questioned the Pidgeotto. She shook her head. "Oh." He scratched her under her beak appreciatively.

"I talked to Professor Oak about your issue Viper." Ash told the Grass Snake. "He said that evolution was a natural process and isn't hindered easily. Tell me, do you still fear changing? He said that some Pokémon don't want to evolve."

Viper shook her head. She had crossed that bridge already. "Then mind telling me what you're feeling?" Viper thought about it. She replied that she didn't feel anything at all regarding evolution. "There must be some issue causing this."

Ash handed her an Oran Berry to snack on. Viper ate it immediately, remembering she hadn't even taken lunch properly. "I don't know what would cause this." Ash told the Grass Snake apologetically. "Maybe the issue isn't psychological." Viper paused.

"Maybe it's physical." Viper really feared that. "We won't get to know about that until we reach a Pokémon Center." He opened his Pokégear and frowned when he saw how far they were from Lavender Town. "We're pretty far from Lavender Town right now."

Viper felt enough energy come back in her body and stood up on her own feet. Bulbasaur let go of her carefully. "We'll figure this out Viper." Ash vowed. "Don't worry at all." She nodded and Ash got up. "We need to get going now. Get ready guys."

Viper questioned where Lairon was to Bulbasaur who said that he was in his pokéball. Apparently he had made some snide remarks about her being too weak and pathetic. Viper felt her eye twitch at that but knew she wouldn't be able to do anything to him currently. Even with Overgrow he had defeated her.

She'll just have to train harder.

"Do you want to go in your Luxury Ball or do you want to stay out?" Ash asked her. Viper said that she wanted to eat something first. She barely took breakfast before the incident. Ash nodded and reached inside his backpack.

He served food to her, telling her to eat up slowly. Viper nodded, taking her time with breakfast. Meanwhile, Ash prepared to leave. Viper looked down at herself, wondering just what was happening to her.

Xxx

Cynthia finally knew how Riolu was able to talk to her.

She had contacted Professor Oak about the matter through her pokégear and he said that he had researched on the matter beforehand.

Apparently, Riolu were able to use aura to talk to her. Cynthia didn't quite understand the term being used; 'Aura Connection', but she vaguely understood it.

Riolu had formed a strong bond with her, enhanced with aura. That meant that he could utilize his aura to talk to her. It was pretty confusing, and Cynthia had exhausted herself trying to wrap her mind around the aura thing.

The blonde had heard some stories about Pokémon talking with trainers but most of them were myths and a few true ones mostly involved Psychic Pokémon.

Psychic Type Pokémon were considered one of the most intelligent Pokémon. Pokémon like Alakazam and Metagross were smarter than humans.

But Riolu was far from being a Psychic Pokémon. And this concept of aura was way too different from the former to be related. Cynthia wanted to look into his matter later on.

She could publish an entire paper based on personal experience. Maybe then she'll be accepted as a Field Researcher! Cynthia felt giddy at the thought.

It was her dream to be a researcher and achieve knowledge, just like Professor Oak. Though she knew it was near impossible to acquire half the knowledge he possessed, one could dream.

That's why she travelled and battled Gym Leaders instead of staying in a lab. Professor Samuel Oak was also a trainer in his younger days and had acquired majority of his knowledge during that time.

Cynthia wanted to follow in his footsteps. She would gain a lot of knowledge and would be able to hopefully work alongside Professor Oak as his junior.

If, and that was a big if, she managed to be intelligent enough to impress him. If not, then she'll just have to work harder. Cynthia had noted a lot of things she had observed on her journey and noted them in her pokégear.

She had data regarding Ash's Eevee and how her Shadow Ball affected the Spearow on Route 1. She didn't have an exact and pinpoint explanation on it, per say, but she had a couple of theories on it.

She also had tested Nidorino's Confusion on Braixen when she was a Fenniken in order to try and wake her psychic capabilities before evolving and it had failed.

That didn't mean she'll give up though. Cynthia had a long journey in front of her and she'll utilize it to the fullest. Cynthia wondered just what life held for her next.

It was pretty unpredictable, after all.

Xxx

 _A Few days later…_

"Huh?" Cynthia muttered as an unknown number called her on her pokégear. Riolu was on her shoulder and peered over in the phone. "Who'll call right now?" The blonde questioned, looking at the shining sun.

She picked the call, raising her wrist to her ear. "Hello?" Cynthia spoke up.

" _Hey blondie."_ The answer came. Cynthia couldn't help the wide smile that spread on her face. Riolu looked at his mother curiously, not quite understanding the cause of the sudden shift in excitement.

"Ash!?"

Xxx

Cynthia was in pretty high spirits after the call. She had just explained everything to Riolu regarding Ash and his newly hatched Charmander. The Fighting Type took that in stride, saying that he'll love to meet Ash.

However, she also spotted someone else on Route 17, someone she hadn't hoped to see again so soon.

"Paul?" The purple haired trainer, who had been resting under a tree shade, looked up and saw the golden haired trainer approaching him.

"Cynthia," He acknowledged, getting up. "You heading to Fuchsia too?" The blonde nodded.

"I wanted to ask but never got the chance." Cynthia locked eyes with him. "Want to battle? Three on three?"

"Sure. Why else I'm here?" Cynthia tensed, preparing herself. Paul walked back a bit of distance, leaving space between them. "Three on three."

Cynthia nodded, expecting nothing else. She would've asked if he hadn't before. Paul was a very strong trainer, evident from the meeting they had in Celadon.

Cynthia couldn't help but feel the need to prove herself. And she had some strong motives to do so too. Leaf had defeated Erika on the first try. Ash had a strong Rhydon to rely on and his Pokémon all had trained in Rock Tunnel.

Gary had a lot of Pokémon capable of countering a lot of types. He'll be hard to plan for in the future. She didn't quite know about Ryan, but judging on how confident he was, she had no doubt he was pretty strong too.

And then came Paul. He saved her from the kidnappers in Celadon and defeated Erika pretty easily too, someone she had lost horribly against and nearly lost the second time too.

Cynthia couldn't help but feel that she was falling behind her rivals. Leaf, Gary, Ash, Ryan, and Paul all were strong trainers and she feared that they'll leave her in the dust sooner or later.

So, winning against Paul would boost her self-confidence by a lot. That's why she wanted to fight Paul in a fair three-on-three.

"See this carefully Riolu." Cynthia said, setting her newborn done. Riolu nodded and stared at Paul as he selected one of his pokéball.

"I'll choose first." Paul said, gripping one of his pokéball. Cynthia nodded, grabbing Squirtle's battle. Both threw their respective pokéball and out came their first choices.

"Sandslash stand by for battle!" Cynthia smirked as the Mouse Pokémon came out, slashing through air for warm-up.

"Squirtle battle dance!" The Water Turtle came out, giving the Sandslash an arrogant smirk. Riolu watched the battle curiously by Cynthia's side.

"Sandslash use Crush Claw!" Sandslash lunged forwards, claw glowing. Squirtle retorted using Withdraw, letting his claws slash uselessly against his hard shell.

"Use Water Gun!" Squirtle popped out of his shell and tried to blast the Ground Type with his favorite move. Sandslash ducked out of the way, lunging forwards for another Crush Claw.

Squirtle narrowly dodged it, hitting back with Headbutt. Sandslash stumbled back and Cynthia's Water Type kept on the pressure with Water Gun.

"Endure." Sandslash, unable to dodge the Water Gun, let it hit. "Swords Dance!" Sandslash boosted up his power, awaiting Squirtle's next move.

"Water Pulse!" Squirtle formed the compressed ball of water within moments and fired it. Sandslash dodged it without command, rushing towards Squirtle with Crush Claw again. "Withdraw!"

"Toss him!" Sandslash picked the shell and threw it away.

"Rapid Spin!" Squirtle spun his shell, regaining control. The Water Type hit the ground and ricocheted back towards the Mouse Pokémon. Paul smirked at the move.

"Rapid Spin." Sandslash curled into a spiky ball and rolled forwards. The two spinning Pokémon met at the middle, spinning against each other. To Cynthia's surprise, Sandslash broke through and sent Squirtle skidding back.

The Water Type came back out, looking a bit nauseous. Cynthia bit her lower lip at the dominance Sandslash was showing. "Squirtle use Ice Beam!" Squirtle inhaled and fired off the arcing beam.

Sandslash dodged it with Agility, closing in for another Crush Claw. "Withdraw into Headbutt into his belly!" Squirtle tucked into his shell, letting the Crush Claw hit it and blunt the damage.

"Don't let up!" Paul ordered. Squirtle was forced back inside as Sandslash kept on hitting his shell. Cynthia bit her lower lip and decided to pull out her trump card.

"Protect! Then Water Pulse!" A green barrier formed around Squirtle, pushing Sandslash back and making him stumble. Squirtle came out quickly and unleashed his compressed water orb, hitting Sandslash. "Now Ice Beam!"

"Protect! Earth Power!" Sandslash formed a barrier of his own, letting it absorb the Ice Beam, and then stomped the ground.

"Withdraw!" Cynthia hollered in alarm. Earth Power was a pretty strong attack and though the damage would be dampened a bit due to Squirtle's typing.

Squirtle tucked into his shell, just in time. The ground under him glowed and exploded, tossing his shell high in the air. "Stone Edge when he lands!"

"Rapid Spin Squirtle!" Squirtle reached the apex of his flight and began to drop. Squirtle began to spin, controlling his fall somewhat and aiming for Sandslash.

"Dig Sandslash." Paul ordered. Sandslash dug inside the ground making Cynthia growl.

"Water Gun! Slow down!" Squirtle let out his water through the holes in his shell. Cynthia blinked at the usage. Squirtle managed to slow his descent and hit the ground, ricocheting just a bit. "You ok?" Cynthia questioned as the turtle came out of his shell, looking nauseous.

Sandslash burst from his under him, delivering a clean Crush Claw. Cynthia let out a yelp as Squirtle landed on the back of his shell and Sandslash pressed on with Stone Edge.

"Withdraw!" Squirtle tucked inside as his shell was sent flying again. This time though, he landed down and struggled to get out. "Protect!" Another Stone Edge nearly hit Squirtle but got stopped by the shield.

"Crush Claw Sandslash!" Sandslash rushed forwards, both claws glowing. Cynthia wondered whether that move was Sandslash's favorite. Paul kept using it.

"Scald!" Squirtle, who had recovered a bit due to the Protect, inhaled and expelled boiling hot water. Sandslash altered his path, dodging the water, and closed in. Squirtle was ready though.

Sandslash pounced on him but the Water Turtle jumped to the side, blasting Sandslash with a close range Water Pulse. Sandslash gritted his teeth at the close range suffer effective hit, and Cynthia's turtle blasted him with Ice Beam.

"Rapid Spin!" Sandslash curled up into a spiky ball, rolling towards Squirtle. His spikes withstood the Ice Beam and he hit Squirtle. The Water Turtle leaned back, letting his shell's weight drop him down, and the Mouse Pokémon rolled over him.

"Water Pulse!" Squirtle aimed, and fired off the ball. He managed to aim right, and hit Sandslash on his rolling escapade. Sandslash uncurled, hitting the ground hard. Squirtle got back on his feet with some difficulty, staring at the Mouse Pokémon.

Both were panting from the battle. Though Squirtle had taken more hits than Sandslash, Squirtle's defenses had lessened it. Plus, Squirtle's super effective attacks had hurt Sandslash heavily too.

"Stone Edge Sandslash!" Sandslash let the sharp rocks loose towards Squirtle who stared them down.

"Rapid Spin! Dodge it!" Squirtle tucked inside his shell and rolled out of the way.

Straight into Sandslash's trap.

Cynthia saw the Earth Power building but was unable to warm Squirtle. The Water Turtle was sent flying in the air from the blast yet again. Paul grinned as Squirtle fell down and Sandslash rushed to meet him.

Cynthia got an idea and she awaited the perfect moment. Paul was one tough foe. She'll be tough pressed to defeat him. But she wasn't giving up. She'll win this three vs. three!

"Protect!" Squirtle, who had very nearly reached the ground, activated his green shield. Sandslash slammed against the barrier and stumbled back, feeling like he had run into a steel wall.

Squirtle ricocheted off the ground towards Sandslash. The Ground Type let out a gasp as Squirtle's shell slammed into his stomach. "Water Pulse!"

"Protect!" Paul wasn't letting up that easily. Squirtle was pushed off Sandslash due to the Protect and his Water Pulse uselessly blasted against the barrier. "End this with Crush Claw!"

Sandslash jumped to his feet and readied his Crush Claw. Rushing forwards, he reached Squirtle and swiped.

But Cynthia couldn't help her competitive side and Protect was triggered once again. Sandslash's Crush Claw bounced off and Squirtle set off his Water Pulse.

"Stealth Rock!" Sandslash, instead of trying to dodge the Water Pulse, threw sharp rocks in their surroundings. The Water Pulse impacted him, sending him skidding in front of Paul. Sandslash glared at the cocky turtle and growled before collapsing down.

"Great job Squirtle!" Cynthia cheered. Squirtle cheered before falling down himself. Cynthia sighed as the strain of using Protect so many times showed itself.

Protect, while being a very useful tactic to use, drained a lot of energy from the user. Repeated uses without rest would burn the user out. That's what had happened with Squirtle.

Cynthia had expected that much. She just wanted Squirtle to take out Sandslash and make it a bit easier for them. Both of them returned their defeated Pokémon, wondering on what to do next.

"Your Squirtle needs improvement." Paul commented. "Sandslash is one of my recently captured Pokémon. If he was properly trained, Squirtle wouldn't have stood a chance."

Cynthia didn't reply, knowing that she'll be lying if she denied. Cynthia hadn't used Squirtle that much in battles and their battle style had yet to adapt.

Cynthia vowed to fix that in the future. Just like how she had with Nidorino, she'll fix it with Roselia and Squirtle.

But for now, she had a battle to win.

"Ready for Round 2?" Cynthia questioned, already having selected Braixen's pokéball. Riolu looked on, clutching Cynthia's leg. He felt a bit pumped up at the fight and from the excitement and adrenaline rolling off his mother.

"Ready when you are." Paul commented. The two threw their pokéballs, and out came their next choices. Braixen stared at the Electabuzz in front of her, tensing up.

Cynthia also recognized the challenge that Electabuzz presented. He was a skilled Pokémon who had defeated Erika's last Pokémon without any difficulty.

Any further thoughts were interrupted as Braixen let out a pained cry. "Braixen!" Cynthia hollered in alarm as sharp rocks dug into her. She looked around and saw the Stealth Rocks Sandslash had set up.

Braixen seemed a bit hurt from the Stealth Rocks if her expression was anything to go by. Paul seemed confident and Electabuzz seemed ready to pummel Braixen into oblivion.

Cynthia was already worked up from the first match and on how to defeat Electabuzz and these Stealth Rocks had to show up too.

The battle just got a lot more harder to win suddenly.

Xxx

 **Do tell me if you prefer longer chapters like 8k-10k words or chapters like these with 5k-6k. The latter means quicker updates while the former mean a bit longer break between updates. Now, I need to sleep so, Peace!**

 **Response to Reviews:**

 _ **Guest:**_ **Obviously bro. All of them will evolve with a few exceptions…**

 _ **Issie82:**_ **And in this quarantine I'm very happy to have such supporting readers for my story.**

 _ **UltimateCCC:**_ **How about a Pidgeot?**

 _ **Kyu9930:**_ **Nice idea! I'll keep that in mind for later!**


	20. Evolution

**Thanks a lot to everyone who reviewed! Keep showing this love and support guys! Seeing as major of my audience doesn't mind shorter chapters, I have decided something. I'll upload chapters of mixed lengths, no lower than 5k and no more than 20k. How about it? Do let me know!**

 **I know you all must be wondering why Eevee's name is suddenly changed to Mystic, right? I'll tell you after the chapter is over!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.**

Xxx

 **Evolution!**

"Are you okay Braixen?" Cynthia asked her starter. Braixen gave her an assuring look and stood up straighter, nodding at her. "Let's begin then."

Cynthia looked at Electabuzz carefully, trying to figure out any weak points of his she could use. Finding none to her disappointment, she decided to focus on the battle.

"Electabuzz, use Thunder Punch!" Electabuzz rushed forwards, left fist covered in electricity. He swung at Braixen who parried it with Fire Hit. Paul, who had never battled a Braixen before, was surprised.

"Flamethrower!" Braixen stepped back after the next parry and breathed fire on Electabuzz. The Electric Pokémon gritted his teeth at the flames, stumbling back. "Now Flame Charge!"

Braixen took advantage of the cover Flamethrower provided, camouflaging her with flames and blending in. She tackled Electabuzz and hit him hard, dropping him on his butt.

"Shock Wave!" Electabuzz quickly blasted the speedy Braixen with accurate electricity, shocking her and making her stomp. "Now Thunderbolt!"

"Flamethrower!" Braixen inhaled and exhaled fiery flames while Electabuzz discharged strong current. The two met and pushed against the other, cancelling the other out. "Now!"

Braixen pushed forward once again, rushing forward with increased speed towards Electabuzz. "Low Kick!" The Electric Pokémon swung his kick low, not falling for the same trick twice.

Braixen yelped as her feet were kicked out from under her. She fell down face first, the Flame Charge dispersing. Electabuzz snarled and unleashed a point blank Thunderbolt.

"Gr." Cynthia gritted her teeth as her starter withered from the damage. "Fire Hit!" Braixen reached for her stick and grabbed it. Turning around, she slammed it in Electabuzz's face, surprising him and cutting the Thunderbolt off. "Flamethrower!"

"Light Screen." As Braixen proceeded to bath Electabuzz into her unforgiving flames, a green barrier formed between them and lessened the intensity. "Now Thunder Punch."

"Bite!" Electabuzz raised his fist and, ignoring the mild burns forming on him, punched down. Braixen opened her mouth and snapped it around his fist, digging in.

Electabuzz let out a surprised cry as his Thunder Punch faded. Braixen dug in, making sure to render it useless for the rest of the battle.

Paul wasn't letting it happen so easily though.

"Thunderbolt!" Electabuzz crackled with energy and another series of current travelled down his fist, right into Braixen. Braixen felt her jaw go numb and she let go of his fist.

"Flame Burst!" Braixen formed the ball and spat it in Electabuzz's face quickly making him stumble off Braixen. The Fire Fox quickly pressed on with her Fire Hit, whacking the Electric Pokémon.

"Discharge into Thunder Wave." Electabuzz unleashed a non-concentrated blast of electricity, shocking Braixen and forcing her back. Electabuzz sneaked in the paralyzing blast too.

"Protect!" Cynthia hollered just in time. Braixen was unable to block the Discharge but she did manage to evade getting paralyzed due to her barrier. Electabuzz let his Discharge dissipate as Braixen made some distance between them.

Cynthia saw Electabuzz wince as he raised the fist Braixen had bit into. That gave them a slight advantage. Cynthia wasn't sure how exactly Braixen was able to hold off against Electabuzz in Close Combat for so long.

"You're more coordinated with Braixen that with Squirtle." Paul commented. "She's your starter?" Cynthia nodded.

"You haven't seen anything yet Paul!" The blonde challenged. "Am I right Braixen?" Her starter howled in agreement.

"Thunderbolt Electabuzz!" Electabuzz continued the battle.

Xxx

"Time for your first battle Charmander." Ash told his newborn. Charmander gave him an excited nod and rushed in front of him. Ever since he had seen Ash battle with trainers, he wanted to battle too.

Mystic rushed in front of them, wagging her tail excitedly. "I'll be guiding you Charmander. Okay?" The Fire Lizard nodded. "Let's begin! Use Scratch!"

Charmander ran towards Mystic at a slow pace, reaching her after a few moments and swiping. Mystic simply sidestepped, letting him pass her. Charmander stumbled to a stop, glaring at the Evolution Pokémon. "Use Ember!"

Charmander inhaled and set out weak embers out. Mystic didn't dodge them, enduring them. "Now Scratch! Don't stop until you hit her!" Charmander let out a cute battle cry and ran forwards.

Mystic easily dodged all of them, not having to exert much effort unsurprisingly. Ash watched on analytically as Charmander exhausted himself trying to hit Ash's starter.

"Quick Attack Mystic." Mystic rushed forwards in a blur, tackling Charmander before he could react. Charmander hit the ground, struggling to get up.

Mystic pounced on him from behind, pushing him down and placing her weight on him dominantly. Charmander struggled against her but Mystic growled threateningly in his ear, making him freeze.

"Stop." Mystic stepped off the Fire Type, helping him up. Charmander gave his favorite aunt a wary look. "You'll have to train a lot to reach the level it does." Ash showed his newborn a photo of a Charizard.

Charmander stared at it, awestruck. "You have a long way to go before you become this. And if you want to shorten it, then you'll have to train." Ash put the pokedex away and looked at the Fire Type. "Are you going to train Charmander?"

The Fire Type, desire to grow the strongest reignited within him, nodded. Ash smiled and gave him a look over for any bruises or anything. Mystic had held back a lot in the battle but it never hurt to check.

"We'll work on your moves later." Ash told him. "First, you need to increase your endurance. For that…" Ash told Charmander to do a few exercises and let Mystic guide him.

"I'll check on you guys later." Ash told them and walked over to the other pokéball. Ash looked over Lairon who was practicing his moves and let him be.

He then checked up on Bulbasaur and Skylar who were battling. Bulbasaur needed some practice against airborne enemies and Skylar could use battling against someone like Bulbasaur.

Bulbasaur was holding his own pretty well though Skylar's unpredictable strikes were pretty tough to defend against. Ash smiled as memories of Viridian Forest appeared in his mind.

How May helped him develop a style for Skylar and gave him valuable tips he'll use for the rest of his journey. Skylar had benefited a lot from her tips.

Ash let them to their own devices and walked to the last Pokémon of his team, Viper.

Ash had decided not to let the Grass Snake train for a while since she was dealing with her evolutionary problem. "Feeling better?" Ash questioned the Snivy.

She nodded, having recovered a bit from another evolution surge. "Any idea what's causing this?" The Grass Type nodded. "Mind sharing?" She thought about it.

She shook her head after a few moments. Ash nodded. "No problem girl." Ash got up. "If you need me, I'm here. Kay?" Viper nodded. Ash left the Grass Type to her own then.

The Snivy didn't tell because she herself wasn't completely sure on the reason. If she was, she would've already told Ash. Viper, having nothing else to do, thought about the exact reason.

There were a lot of reasons she _wanted_ to evolve. She would be a Servine, a stronger and faster version of herself. It would also help cover the gap between her and her teammates.

The only reason she knew that was against evolving was the fact that it would change her. That reason had been sorted out already. Viper sighed and lay back, wondering just what is the reason.

She closed her eyes, remembering the memories that flashed in front of her eyes. Grudges, promises, remarks, and threats from her troubled past.

Viper wondered why they were resurfacing now. She thought that she was past all that. Besides, Viper would fulfill all of them when the time came. She wasn't letting it go so easily.

Her eyes opened sharply.

She may have just discovered the reason.

Xxx

"Braixen!" Cynthia exclaimed in horror as her Starter was overwhelmed from Electabuzz's rapid strikes. Braixen fell to one knee, trying her best to endure the seemingly never ending Thunderbolt.

The battle was going great until Paul found an opening. Electabuzz had forced Braixen on the defense since then and even managed to breach it.

"End this with Thunder Punch!" Braixen stared as Electabuzz closed the distance between them, fist enveloped in electricity.

"Protect!" Braixen formed the barrier, letting the Thunder Punch bounce back. It also cut off the Thunderbolt, giving Braixen an opening. She utilized on it, using Flamethrower and burning him.

"Light Screen!" A light yellow barrier formed around Electabuzz, blunting the flames. Braixen got up on both knees, rushing forward with Fire Hit. "Grab it!"

As Braixen swung her stick at the Electric Pokémon, he parried it with Thunder Punch and grabbed it with his other hand. Braixen gasped as Electabuzz tried to pull it out of her hand, grinning nastily.

Cynthia's starter increased the flames on the other end making Electabuzz gasp. The flames gave him a nasty burn, and Braixen pushed her stick into his stomach.

Electabuzz let go of it with a gasp, and Braixen pushed in. "Discharge Electabuzz!" Electabuzz let go of another discharge around her, shocking Braixen as she kept on stacking hits against Electabuzz.

Electabuzz wrapped his arms around Braixen as she tried to jump back. Electabuzz gave a nasty grin and turned the Discharge into a Thunderbolt.

"Bite!" Cynthia's starter opened her maw and bit down on Electabuzz's shoulder. Electabuzz winced but didn't loosen his grip, turning the battle into one of endurance.

"Finish it Electabuzz!" Paul commanded. Cynthia still had one last card up her sleeve.

"Hypnosis!" Paul's look morphed into one of alarm quickly as he realized Cynthia's command. It was too late though, as Braixen had locked eyes with Electabuzz and already lulled it into sleep.

Electabuzz was a tough Pokémon to force into unconscious, Braixen realized. Hypnosis won, however, given his tiredness and the prospect of sleep being very tempting.

The Thunderbolt ended and Electabuzz's grip loosened. Braixen pushed against him, breaking free and stumbling back. Braixen fell hard on her rear, gasping in pain.

Electabuzz fell on his back, snoring lightly. "End this with Solar Beam Braixen!" Braixen got up on shaky feet, calling on all of her energy for one last attack.

The sun's bright light was used by Braixen as she charged her strongest attack. Her opponent, Paul's Electabuzz, snored away, not knowing the danger he was in.

"Faster Braixen!" Cynthia urged as Electabuzz stirred. Paul stared on with a frown, looking at Braixen who was struggling to even stand. "You can do it!"

"Electabuzz! Up!" Paul called as his Electric Type stirred. Any slumber was shaken off him at Paul's command and he began to get up. Cynthia's eyes widened in alarm.

"Now!" Braixen finished preparing her final strike and unleashed it. She collapsed right afterwards.

Electabuzz blinked as a blinding blast of light surged towards him. Paul's command fell on deaf ears as his second choice was blasted with the full brunt.

"Gr." Paul growled as Solar Beam exploded. Cynthia watched on in satisfaction as the shockwave from it made her bangs fly around wildly. The smoke from the Solar Beam surrounded Electabuzz, making it difficult for anyone to see whether Electabuzz had fainted.

When the smoke finally cleared, Electabuzz was seen unconscious to no one's surprise. "That was expected." Paul grunted, returning him. Cynthia returned her starter as well, looking at it with pride.

"Epic job Braixen." She praised. "Keep up the good work." She pocketed the ball and thought about her next choice. Nidorino, Buizel, and Roselia all three were good choices. Cynthia didn't want to fight with Roselia though. Her synergy with her trainer was still sloppy, similar to Squirtle.

That left Nidorino and Buizel. Since Electabuzz was out, Cynthia wondered if Paul had a Pokémon against Water Types. Same with Nidorino. Since Sandslash was out of the battle, Cynthia doubted Paul would have a Psychic Type or another Ground Type on him.

"Both of our battles and both ended on a tie." Paul commented, playing with his last choice. "You're stronger than you let on, Cynthia." Cynthia bit her lower lip, wondering on how to take that in.

"Ready for our last battle?" The blonde questioned instead. Paul nodded, selecting her last pokéball. She was confident in her choice. "Then let's do it."

"Suit yourself." Paul threw his pokéball and out came his starter, Grotle. Cynthia tensed as her own choice was revealed, Buizel. The Stealth Rocks flew forward, digging themselves into Buizel's side.

Buizel grunted in pain and staggered before straightening himself. He glared at Grotle instead, playing it cool. Cynthia looked at Grotle with uncertainty.

Grotle was Paul's starter, and the blonde had no doubt he'll be the strongest in his team. Buizel was strong too but he had a type disadvantage against him too.

Cynthia was sure Paul had a strategy suiting Grotle's style too. He wasn't the type of trainer who'll foolishly not prepare. Cynthia knew she was losing her nerve against Paul.

Cynthia felt Riolu tug at her pant leg and looked down. 'You can do this Mom!' He encouraged. 'I believe in you!' Cynthia felt all the doubts inside her vanish and raised a shaking hand.

Curling it into a fist, she faced Paul and his starter. "I'm ready!" She declared. "Let's do this Buizel!" Buizel had Ice Type moves at his disposal as well. They'll surely help against Paul.

"Grotle! Use Razor Leaf!" Grotle immediately sent a wave of sharp leaves towards Buizel.

"Sonic Boom!" Buizel flicked his tail towards the leaves, sending a blast of sound energy. The two met and cancelled the other out, the blast of sound rendering the leaves useless. "Now use Rain Dance!"

"Sunny Day Grotle!" Cynthia felt déjà vu as battle for the weather occurred once again. Buizel didn't seem fond of this struggle as well, judging by his look.

The two weathers struggled against each other before cancelling the other out. "Water Gun!" Buizel spat the water towards Grotle who endured it easily.

"Just use Ice Beam Cynthia." Paul smirked. Cynthia gave him a surprised look. "I know about that."

"H-how?" Cynthia questioned.

"I saw you at the Departmental Store in Celadon." He began. "Why wouldn't you get your Water Type an Ice Type TM? Especially when you're about to fight against a Grass Type Specialist."

' _There goes my trump card.'_ Cynthia grumbled. "Buizel! Use Ice Beam!"

"Light Screen Grotle." The pink screen flashed in front of Grotle, blunting the Ice Beam and reducing its damage. Cynthia ordered an Aqua Jet which Buizel summoned quickly.

Paul smirked as Buizel closed the distance between them. "Crunch." Grotle endured the Aqua Jet pretty easily, opening his mouth and lunging forwards.

Buizel, who had just landed after impacting Grotle's hard shell, nearly got bitten by the turtle. He managed to jump back in time and sent a Sonic Boom right at his face. Grotle winced a bit at the attack and Buizel carried on with Aqua Jet.

Paul didn't command anything, letting Grotle take it. As expected, it didn't hurt much at all. In fact, Grotle didn't even act like it bothered him.

Cynthia sharply inhaled. Grotle had very high physical defenses and Light Screen didn't help either. It augmented his special defenses too. She'll have to think something quickly or it'll end up like Buizel's fight with Gloom.

"Razor Leaf!" Grotle shook his bushes and sharp leaves came out, flying towards the Aqua Jet covered Buizel. Buizel zoomed around, dodging the leaves.

"Ice Beam!" Buizel realized he had perfect aim and fired off the arcing beam. It didn't hit Grotle on his face though. Instead, he aimed for the bushes on his shell.

Grotle winced as the cold beam hit his back. Buizel dropped from the sky downwards, using Aqua Jet to increase the momentum. "Protect!" Cynthia gasped at the similar strategy.

"Watch out!" It was too late, however, and Buizel hit the hard shield hard. Buizel dropped down, stunned, and Grotle ran forwards, mouth wide open.

"Crunch!" Cynthia cursed as she felt victim to the same strategy again.

"Sonic Boom!" Buizel flicked his tail towards Grotle, expecting it to stun him. It didn't. Grotle rushed through, his defenses and Light Screen helping him, and he jumped.

Grotle opened his mouth, preparing to bite the Water Type. Buizel gasped as Grotle bit his torso, slamming him down. Cynthia realized that she may have just lost the battle.

"Giga Drain." Buizel let out a strangled gasp as his energy was sucked out of his body.

"Scald!" Buizel inhaled and spat steaming warm water into Grotle's face. The Grove Pokémon stumbled back, feeling his eyes screaming at the impact with the warm water. "Now Ice Beam!"

"Slam him down!" Grotle, who still had a painful grip on Buizel's body, raised him and slammed the Water Weasel down, stunning him. "Now Giga Drain!"

Grotle raised a leg and slammed it on Buizel's stomach. Buizel gasped at the feeling and felt hurt when his energy began to get sucked out. Cynthia chewed on her lower lip nervously at the sudden turnover.

"Sunny Beam!" Cynthia realized the move and she knew that if it was triggered, Buizel would surely lose the match.

"Ice Punch!" As the sun shined intensely above them, Buizel clenched his fists and slammed them into Grotle's leg. He managed to push the leg off him and inhaled deeply.

"Aqua Jet! Get away!" Cynthia hollered. Buizel enveloped himself in water and decided to speed away. As he getting ready to run, however, Grotle opened his mouth and fired off a powerful Solar Beam. "Protect!"

There was a tremendous explosion, blowing their hair around wildly. Cynthia saw Buizel escape the smoke with Aqua Jet and smiled. "Ice Beam!"

Buizel, who knew Grotle's location, fired off the Ice Type move. It struck since Grotle was nicely sized and it was hard to miss for Buizel. Cynthia looked at Paul who seemed confident.

His reason showed when Grotle was seen mostly unharmed. Cynthia's jaw dropped at that. He had taken a Solar Beam to his face, suffered from an Ice Beam, and still wasn't fazed?! Even Light Screen couldn't save someone that much.

"Fire." She spotted his Solar Beam far too late. Grotle fired off the beam towards Buizel with perfect aim, catching him in his path. Both trainer and Pokémon, stunned from Grotle's condition, were unable to react in time.

Buizel let out a defeated cry as he dropped from the sky, landing in front of Cynthia harshly. "Good job Grotle." Cynthia stared at the fainted Water Type, in a state of mild shock.

Riolu managed to shake her out of it and gestured to Buizel. 'Did we just lose Mom?' The blonde nodded, not wanting to believe it herself. She lost, again.

Cynthia returned her defeated Pokémon with a bitter smile. She pocketed the pokéball with shaky hands and took a deep breathe. Paul returned his Grotle and walked towards her.

'You did your best Mom.' Riolu encouraged. 'Next time, I'll battle! And we'll win then for sure!' Cynthia cracked a small smile and picked him up in her arms, tugging his cheek slightly.

"You did well Carolina." Paul commented, extending a hand. "Not many trainers can tie with Electabuzz. Nice battle." Cynthia shook it, giving him a small grin.

"You're really strong, just like I expected." Cynthia remarked. "I knew it would be a tough battle from the start." Paul raised an eyebrow at the praise.

"It was pretty close too, don't get demotivated." He said. "You need to work on your Squirtle though. The synergy between you two is really low."

"Yeah," Cynthia admitted. "I have a couple Pokémon like that." Paul narrowed his eyes.

"And you still haven't solved it?" He asked.

"Well, no." Cynthia flushed in embarrassment. Paul sighed at that.

"If you want to win against the Fuchsia Gym Leader, then you need to up your game." He said. "These excuses won't help in the long run. Train your Pokémon." He turned on his heel.

"Thanks for the advice." Cynthia called out. Paul held up a hand and walked away. Cynthia sighed and decided to treat her Pokémon first. "He's right, you know." She told Riolu.

"I'm not training that much nowadays." She said. "That's why everyone is getting ahead of me." Her look changed into a determined one. "That changes from today."

"We're going to train hard and we'll be the best!" She turned to Riolu. "What do you say Riolu?" Riolu cheered with her.

'We'll be the best Mom!' Cynthia smiled.

The battle with Paul may have resulted in her loss but it lit something inside her. The desire to be the best was lit inside Cynthia.

And the blonde would make sure to use it to the fullest.

Xxx

"Enjoying girl?" Ash questioned his starter. Mystic let out a relaxed sigh as Ash softly ran a brush through her fur. "Rest easy. You deserve it." Mystic had fought to her limits against a strong trainer today.

Bulbasaur managed to tire his first choice out before fainting and Skylar defeated it before succumbing to his second choice. Ash had sent out Mystic who had pushed herself to her limits to defeat the remaining two Pokémon.

Ash tried battling with Lairon too but there styles had really differed. Lairon's style was a bit foreign to Ash and thus, it was taking some time to properly adjust. He'll come around sooner or later, Ash was sure of it.

"What do you think is Viper's problem?" Ash questioned her out of the blue. "Did you try to ask her?" Mystic nodded and gave a sad yip. "She's not telling you either huh."

Ash spotted his Snivy sitting a little distance away, looking at the night sky. "Wanna try again?" Ash questioned. Mystic gave a tired yip to him. "I'm tired too girl. But we really need to do it sooner or later."

Ash got up, picking Mystic up with him. The two headed over to Viper who gave them a wave in greeting. "How're you feeling girl?" Ash questioned her. Viper replied that she was as fine as Ash was in Rock Tunnel.

Ash grinned at her reply. "Glad to see your humor is back." Ash said, picking her up and adjusting her in his lap. "So, update on your evolutional problem?"

Viper sighed and replied that she may or may not know about the problem. Ash nodded. "Mind sharing your lead now?" Viper shook her head. "Viper," Ash began softly. "Why don't you want to share it with me? I thought you trusted me."

Viper gestured frantically, trying to say that it wasn't about trust or anything. She sighed and idly played with a pebble. Mystic yipped and said that if it was about her being present, she could go away.

The Eevee got up, deciding to leave. Viper stopped her from leaving though. "Viper, if you feel or think that we'll judge you differently for telling us the reason, we won't." Ash tried.

Viper didn't respond this time, looking away from them. "You know," Ash continued. "If you keep something troubling inside you and don't share it, it'll eat you from the inside out."

Viper gave him a look. "I'm speaking from experience Viper." Ash told her. "You may or may not know it, but I have gone through it too." He sighed and looked at Mystic who gave him a yip. "I never told you about how I met Mystic, right?"

Viper shook her head. She had guessed Mystic was his starter and the two had met from there. "Well, I and Cynthia were exploring the woods near Professor Oak's lab," Ash began. "We were very young then, mind that, and then…"

 _Flashback…_

 _Two kids, one with messy black hair and tan skin and the other with blonde hair combined with pale skin were exploring the woods around Professor Oak's lab._

" _I don't think we should be here." Cynthia told Ash meekly. Ash gave her an assuring look._

" _Why are you worrying Cynthia?" Ash asked her. "Nothing's going to attack us." Ash said, putting his hands behind his head carelessly._

" _It never hurts to be safe." Cynthia replied back in a small voice. She kept looking around; as if afraid something would pounce on them._

" _Now you're making me worry too." Ash retorted, rolling his eyes. "Chill girl, chill. Are you like this from the start?" Cynthia didn't reply to that. "Cynthia?" Ash turned to her. "Reply please."_

" _I'm in an unknown area, with someone I barely know, exploring this without telling my mom, and you're asking for a reply?" Cynthia asked him in surprise._

" _So you do have a voice." Ash teased. Cynthia puffed her cheeks cutely._

" _Now you're starting to sound like Gary." Cynthia complained. Cynthia furrowed her brows suddenly. "Do you hear that?" The blonde questioned._

 _Ash concentrated and heard a faint crying voice. "That sounds like a Pokémon." Ash told Cynthia. "Come on!" Ash ran towards the source._

" _Wait!" Cynthia hollered, running after her. "We shouldn't just run without help!" Ash didn't listen to her though, making her run up to him instead._

" _Here!" Ash said, crouching next to a brown fox like Pokémon. It was quivering and faintly crying. "Hey there," Ash began softly. Cynthia reached Ash and peeked over his shoulder to see who he was talking to._

" _Is that an Eevee?" Cynthia questioned Ash. Ash shrugged, picking up the brown fox._

" _She's hurt." Ash told the blonde. "We need to get her to Professor Oak." The blonde nodded._

" _I'm afraid that's not going to work." The two trainers turned around and saw a tall guy looking at them. Eevee whimpered and tried to hide from him. "She belongs to me. Give her to me and go mess around somewhere else kids."_

" _How about no?" Ash replied._

" _Then my Crobat will slowly kill you with poison." Ash spotted the Flying/Poison Type perched on his shoulder. "Any other question?" Seeing none forthcoming, he outstretched a hand. "Hand over the Eevee."_

" _No!" Ash hollered loudly. "I'll never give her to you. She doesn't want to be with you!"_

" _No one's asking you!" The man shouted, curling his hand into a wrist and trying to snatch the Evolution Pokémon from Ash. Ash ducked under it, throwing it to Cynthia._

" _Catch!" Cynthia gave a start and quickly grabbed the Eevee. She looked at Ash who gestured her to run._

" _I don't know the way back!" Cynthia protested. The man grinned and walked over to her._

" _Run anyway! I'll find you later!" Ash told her. Cynthia was too late, however, and the man swiped for Eevee. Cynthia let out a yelp and back stepped, turning around and trying to run._

 _The man's Crobat took off, appearing in front of her face and shrieking. Cynthia let out a surprised cry and fell down on her butt. The man grinned and lunged forwards._

 _Ash tackled him to the side making him fall down and grabbed Cynthia by the wrist. "Let's go!" He said, pulling her up. Cynthia's silver eyes widened._

" _Behind you!" The man's Crobat bit into his shoulder suddenly, his sharp fangs tearing through the shirt. Ash's gasped in pain, eyes rolling to the top of his head. "Ash!" Cynthia screamed._

 _Ash weakly tried to fend off the Crobat and shuddered. Falling to his knees, Ash succumbed to the Giga Drain and collapsed in front of Cynthia._

" _Mind handing over Eevee now?" The man asked. "Over smart brat. Sorry for your loss." He didn't seem really apologetic. Cynthia shook the limp body of Ash repeatedly, trying to wake him up._

 _Eevee yipped in sadness, pawing at Ash's face. "Come over here now." The man said to the Evolution Pokémon._

" _She does not belong to you!" Cynthia hollered, anger clearly showing. "Nor does she want to be with you! Why can't you just leave her alone?" The man growled in frustration and grabbed her by the hair roughly._

" _Looks like you want to join your friend too." He warned. "This'll do." He pulled out a pistol and placed it on her temple. "Pop goes the blondie." Cynthia flinched, closing her eyes as tears threatened to rush out._

" _Ow!" Cynthia felt the cool barrel of his gun be removed from her temple and opened her eyes. Eevee was in front of her, growling threateningly._

" _Crobat! Finish them!" The man barked. The Crobat lunged at them. Cynthia picked the wounded Evolution Pokémon and covered her with her body, clutching her tightly._

 _She felt Crobat's steeled wing tear into her back and gasped. Cynthia closed her eyes, darkness enshrouding her vision._

 _Flashback Pause…_

"My and Cynthia had our fair share of dangerous scenarios."Ash told them fondly. "Back then, we didn't quite understand the seriousness of someone dying." Ash told them. "We were little, we still are. All of us almost died during that."

Viper commented that Ash and Cynthia ran into trouble ever so often. Ash chucked at that. "Get used to that. We get hurt even when we're not together." Viper remembered Rhydon and nodded.

"Getting back to the story…"

 _Flashback Continues…_

" _Huh?" Ash let out a gasp as he took in the surroundings. "Where am I?" He noticed someone at his left and noticed it was his Mom. "Mom?" Ash spoke up, voice rough. He shook his mother and she stirred from slumber immediately._

" _Ash?" She exclaimed. "Ash!" His mother hugged him tightly upon waking. "I was so worried about you!" She said, kissing his forehead._

" _I'm fine Mom." Ash told her. "Where is Cynthia? And what about Eevee?" Ash questioned, looking around._

" _They're fine." Delia replied. "Both of them are really worried about you." She gave him a serious look. "What happened in the forest Ashy? Tell me."_

" _Well…" Ash remembered the entire event and suddenly realized how foolish he was. He could've handled it so much better. "Can I tell you later? I seriously don't want to right now."_

" _Sure. There's someone else who wants to meet you." Delia got up. "Cynthia dear." Ash gave a relieved look as his blonde friend entered in the room._

" _Thanks for calling me Ma'am." Cynthia thanked her._

" _Call me Delia dear." She left, leaving the two alone. Cynthia sat down on the chair previously occupied by Delia, giving Ash a concerned look. Ash gave her a guilty look._

" _How're you?" He questioned._

" _Alive, thankfully." The sarcasm in her voice was real. Ash sighed sadly. "Look, it's both of our-"_

" _How's Eevee?" Ash interrupted._

" _Why don't you ask her?" There was an excited yip and Eevee ran up to them. She yipped and jumped on the bed, nuzzling Ash._

" _Hey girl." Ash greeted. "How are you feeling now?"_

 _Flashback Pause…_

"That's how we met." Ash told the Grass Snake. Viper nodded, realizing the story. "You must be thinking on how this relates to your current problem, right?"

"Well, we decided not to tell our parents the truth." Viper blinked. They decided what? "My Mom is understanding and wouldn't have acted that harshly. But Cynthia's Mom…" Ash shuddered. "She gets really angry sometimes. Cynthia didn't want to tell her Mom and that meant I wouldn't tell them either."

"And that's when you come in Viper." Ash continued. "It was a very traumatic experience and it obviously took us a while to recover. The most stressful part was not being able to tell Mom."

"I wasn't that much affected by the event as compared to Cynthia. She was a mess." Ash told them. "I tried to persuade her to spill the beans and tell it to our parents but she was scared of it. She was afraid that her Mom would scold her or cut our friendship forever."

"I kept getting nightmares; both of us did in fact. One night, I finally decided to tell my Mom about it." Viper kept hearing, curious about Ash's past. "It was middle of the night when…"

 _Flashback Continues…_

" _Eevee?" Ash said, looking around. "Cynthia? Guys!" He heard a yip of pain and saw the poacher carry Eevee away. "Wait! Don't!"_

 _Ash woke up with a start. Looking around, Ash suddenly felt scared of the dark. Eevee was at his side, waking from her slumber and yipping questioningly._

" _It was a nightmare." Ash panted. He scooped Eevee up and hugged her tightly. "Thank God." Ash looked at Eevee who licked his face comfortingly. "I cannot hold it in any longer Eevee. I need to tell Mom about this."_

" _Tomorrow I'll tell her."_

 _Flashback Pause…_

"And I did." Ash grinned. "She was cross, I could tell that much from her look, but she didn't scold me like I expected. She knew my love for Pokémon would override any common sense anyway."

Viper said that Ash did get into a lot of trouble just to save some Pokémon. He took her even though she was known to hate males with a passion, he intervened in the Hidden Village attack just to save the inhabitants of it and their own teams, and he captured Lairon to protect any crippling damage from Rhydon even though he could've escaped when they were fighting.

Mystic yipped, saying that she'll get used to it after some time. Viper idly commented that she already was. The Grass Snake said that Mystic and Ash went way back. It was a big surprise Mystic didn't evolve into one of the forms that depended on friendship.

Mystic winked mysteriously making her narrow her eyes. She signaled that she'll tell her later. Viper bought that. She then gestured Ash to continue his story.

"I'll continue." Ash yawned before resuming. "It helped a lot when I told her the truth. She asked why I didn't tell the real version of the incident before and I replied honestly."

Viper blinked, questioning that did Ash really throw Cynthia under the bus that quickly? "I had enough of lying to her Viper." Ash defended. "She promised not to say anything to Sophie and asked me to persuade Cynthia to say the truth."

"Eventually, Cynthia caved in when I promised her that my Mom would help lessen any punishment that she gave her but that's beside the point." Ash stopped. "You see-"

Viper interrupted and gestured him to continue. She was enjoying the story. "Okay." Ash said slowly. "Cynthia decided to tell Sophie the truth. She was really mad, let me tell you," Ash's look said it all. "But her concern for her daughter won and she decided not to give any punishment."

"Cynthia thanked me a few days later and said that it helped her a lot. There comes the moral of this story." Ash ran his fingers in Mystic's fur. "You'll recover a lot faster if you tell someone the cause of your problem. We suffered uselessly for not telling the truth. If we had spoken the truth from the start, it would've been much better."

Viper nodded, deep in thought. "So my dear Grass Snake," Ash chuckled. "Want to tell all that now?" Viper nodded and began to gesture and speak.

The language barrier irritated Ash a lot. He was able to get the gist of most of the stuff his Pokémon spoke but sometimes it wasn't enough. The rookie wondered if there was a device or something that'll translate it.

Psychic Pokémon were rare to find and even rarer to capture one. He really wished there was a medium between them.

After a while, Ash managed to translate and understand Viper's point. "I understand now." Ash nodded. "So basically, you're saying that all the threats, promises, and vows you have made to get back at those who had made your life hell are blocking you from evolving?"

Viper nodded, saying that he got the gist of it. "But you don't know _why_ they're blocking?" Viper looked away at that. "Viper, you have told me this much. Why not the complete truth too?"

Viper sighed and said that she was feeling ashamed. Eevee blinked. Where did that come from? Viper said that she felt that all the promises, vows, and threats she had made were empty and she just acted cool but wasn't even a fraction of what she pretended to be.

"Viper," Ash said, pulling her close to his chest. "Why are you thinking like this?" Ash questioned. "It's a long chance that we'll meet them anyway and if we do, you can always extract your revenge."

Viper said that she wanted to take the revenge in her current form, not as a Servine. She'll change when she'll evolve and Viper didn't want to rely on evolution to stand up for herself.

Viper stated that she kept losing one battle after another. First against Cynthia's Buizel, then against Bulbasaur, the poacher's Luxray, Paul's Electabuzz, and Ash's now captured Rhydon and Lairon too. She barely won a battle!

"You know that most of these losses were not your fault." Ash pointed out. "You weren't at tip top condition against Cynthia's Buizel and Bulbasaur. Same with Luxray but you almost defeated him despite the power gap between you."

"Paul's Electabuzz could be one of the genuine losses you have suffered but then again, Mystic also lost against his Turtwig." Ash carried on. "You stood up against Rhydon for us, against a Pokémon that took out Oceanus like he was nothing, and Oceanus had a Double Type Advantage against him, mind that. We both know that Lairon is stronger than most of our teammates too Viper."

Viper cut in, saying that all of those were excuses. She added that she had support from her team against Luxray and Rhydon yet they all lost. "Yet you did most of the heavy lifting." Viper paused. "Reimagine the battle Viper. Do you really think we would've lasted that much against them had you not struggled?"

Viper thought about the fights and paused. She _did_ harm Rhydon and Luxray the most, especially the latter. "You're selling yourself too short Viper. You may have lost most of the battles but you helped us win the war in the majority of cases."

"What you are in the past doesn't matter Viper. What you are right now is what does. These achievements all are in the past girl." Mystic looked at Ash with an adoring smile. "We train every day to be better than what we are yesterday. You cannot let someone render your struggles fruitless Viper."

"Whenever one of my Pokémon evolves, I feel like we have _earned_ the evolution. You should too." Ash grinned as a memory appeared in front of his eyes. "Zeus evolved from a Pichu into a Pikachu midnight. I didn't grumble or anything when that happened but instead, felt really happy." Viper felt something stir inside her and it wasn't uncomfortable this time too.

"You don't have to evolve if you don't want to Viper." Ash carried on softly. "I'll never force you to do something you don't want to do girl. Remember that." Ash couldn't maintain a serious face and cracked into laughter. "If Cynthia was here, she'll say that I'm beginning to sound like my dad or something."

Viper let out a soft cry abruptly making Ash focus on her. A soft white glow surrounded her and she looked at Ash with uncertainty. "Viper, listen. I have an idea."

"When you're evolving, think about us. Think of all the positive moments. Think of what I have told you right now. Don't let the old memories block you." Ash said, picking her from his lap and setting her on the ground so she could have some space.

Viper outstretched a hand to Ash. Ash grabbed it gently making her smile. The soft glow intensified, swallowing her entire body. Mystic looked on in wonder as Viper's body began to change.

The Snivy grew taller in front of their eyes. Ash smiled as Viper began to successfully trigger her evolution. Everything was going fine now-

Viper gasped, clutching Ash's hand tightly. "Viper?" Ash exclaimed in alarm as the glow around her began to pulse and randomly increase and decrease.

Mystic yipped in alarm, getting up from Ash's lap and walking over to the Grass Type. Unknown to them, Viper had clenched her eyes shut tight.

She struggled against the evolution, having lost control over it. Viper tried to force it to work correctly and flow naturally but it resisted. She didn't understand why.

She could vaguely hear Ash telling her to loosen up but her mind was in too much of a whirlwind to work correctly. She felt the evolutional energy pulse and cringed.

Viper felt someone touch her and nuzzle her. Viper opened her eyes and leaned into the touch, hearing the creature beside her say something she didn't quite understand, but her body did.

Her body relaxed and the energy stopped resisting against her. Viper felt her body go at ease and the evolution continued. Viper grew taller, her tail elongated alongside a lot of other changes.

The glow pulsed one last time before fading. Viper saw Mystic close to her and heard her yip in excitement. "You finally evolved Viper." Ash exhaled.

The Servine looked over herself, finally realizing that she had indeed evolved. She looked with a new perspective, with new eyes. Viper found that she was able to think much more clearly than as a Snivy.

She didn't know how much her battle capabilities had increased, but it was clear they had increased. Viper felt the adrenaline from evolving decrease a bit, getting taken over by exhaustion.

Viper held her hands up and looked at them. She had changed, that much was evident. But Viper found that it didn't bother her anymore. Nor did the memories she despised so much previously. They just didn't hold any importance anymore.

"Done ogling yourself?" Ash teased. Viper looked up from her hands at Ash and leapt at him. Ash let out a startled yelp but managed to catch her. Mystic felt a vague déjà vu at the scenario.

Viper nuzzled him happily making Ash chuckle. "Someone's excited." Viper tested her body and grinned excitedly. "Let's scan you first."

" **Servine, the Grass Snake Pokémon, and the evolved form of Snivy. Servine whips its opponents with vines, and dodges their attacks by hiding in the shadows of thick foliage. This Servine is Female and has the ability Overgrow. She knows the following moves:** **Vine Whip, Leaf Storm, Slam, Swords Dance, Leaf Blade, Mega Drain, Leaf Tornado, Grassy Terrain, and Solar Beam."**

"Looks like evolution gave you some side benefits too Viper." Ash commented. "We'll test your new move tomorrow morning, kay?" Viper nodded, understanding his exhaustion.

Ash yawned, feeling tiredness from the day catching up. "Well, I'm hitting the hay now Viper." Ash told them, getting up. His Fire Type was off with Skylar. "I'm going to go checkup on the others and get Charmander too. See you guys later."

Ash left, leaving the duo alone. Mystic yawned and curled up on her spot. The Servine's gaze lingered on the Evolution Pokémon for a few moments making the Eevee question what she wanted to say.

Viper asked on when _she'll_ evolve to which Mystic shrugged. Viper remembered her wink before and shrugged. Mystic will tell them when she'll want to evolve.

Viper questioned Mystic whether she knew how far was Lavender Town to which Mystic replied that they'll reach there within two weeks. Viper nodded.

The Servine thanked Mystic for her support to which Mystic grinned and curled up besides her, feeling a bit tired herself too.

Viper smiled as her eyes shut down, welcoming the comforting darkness that covered her vision. Today, she had taken a huge step in her life.

She had let go of her past, something the Grass Snake didn't believe to be possible before.

For the first time in her life, Viper felt genuinely happy.

And she had earned it too.

Xxx

 **The reason I did it? When I named her Karma, it was a spur of the moment. It doesn't suit her personality guys, I think. That's why I have renamed her Mystic. Hope you guys don't mind! Thanks.**

 **Response to Reviews:**

 _ **Ultron0901:**_ **I cannot tell you any of the things you have asked since they would be spoilers. There won't be a poll for Ash's Eevee sorry. I've already decided it. And glad to know you like longer chapters!**

 _ **Cobb:**_ **Off course they will. Cynthia had entire chapters to herself a few times and so did Ash, am I right? I'm trying my best to manage between two protagonists so hope I'm handling it pretty well.**

 _ **Mr. Dato:**_ **Glad to know!**

 _ **Issei182:**_ **Thank you for the opinion.**

 _ **Andrew:**_ **True bro! Thanks for the open minded suggestion!**

 _ **UltimateCCC:**_ **This does bring a smile to my face.**


	21. Lavender Town

**A late upload due to Writer's Block! Trying my best to get past it right now. I'm going to edit the previous chapters for increased quality and length. Do review on the new updated chapters when I upload them!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.**

Xxx

 **Lavender Town**

"So basically, I want you to use a modified version of Scratch. The only difference is you would be hitting a fiery scratch." Cynthia told Braixen. "Also, try to make the Scratch stronger and focused into a single attack instead of smaller hits."

"Just transform the Scratch into Slash." Cynthia said after seeing her look. Braixen nodded and tried what she said. Cynthia noticed her hands were lit up in flames. The Fire Fox tried some experimental scratches but the flames faded midway.

"You've got some of it down," Cynthia praised. "Just keep practicing. Once you are able to use Fire Scratch properly, practice and turn it into Fire Slash."

Braixen nodded and began to practice. Cynthia smiled at her determination and walked to her other Pokémon. Her entire team was on fire since losing to Paul and she herself was too.

The first two matches were a tie and Cynthia really felt she would win it. But then his Grotle crushed Buizel so quickly and the gap was evident.

Cynthia had decided to fight more with Squirtle and Roselia to increase the synergy between them. Better to face the problem right now and then.

She also planned to use Squirtle in the battle against the Fuchsia Gym Leader. Cynthia had a lot of strategies in mind for the gym and was already preparing her Pokémon.

The blonde didn't know how many Pokémon the gym would use. Pewter and Cerulean both used two Pokémon each while Celadon and Vermillion both used three, the latter sometimes four. Cynthia was training her entire team against his battle style.

Fuchsia Gym relied on traps and tricks to fight instead of a direct offensive approach. Moves like Toxic, Sticky Web, and Leech Life were common.

Cynthia didn't have much of a defense against that. Squirtle's Rapid Spin could undo any traps but there was no guarantee the Gym Leader wouldn't lay them again.

It was a good thing Paul's Sandslash had pulled her awareness to Stealth Rock. That was the first time Cynthia had faced against such a technique.

'Hi Ma!' Riolu waved as he completed his second lap around them. The Fighting Type was undergoing some exercises Cynthia had laid out for him. The blonde figured she'll mark his boundaries first and then work on extending them.

"Keep it up Riolu." Cynthia nodded and walked over to Roselia. She was practicing Sunny Day so she could harness the dangerous 'Sunny Beam' combination as the blonde aptly named it. She knew it wasn't that clever or unique but it did the job.

Cynthia noticed that inventing a new name for a combination of moves was better than giving a long string of commands. For example, Sunny Beam was the combination of Solar Beam and Sunny Day, just like Nidorino's 'Focus Up' was for Focus Energy and Work Up.

The blonde had a few more ideas for such combination moves for the others. She had a lot of plans which she hoped to carry out before reaching Fuchsia.

Route 17 was left even though they were about halfway through. It wasn't the largest route for nothing.

"How's it going Roselia?" Cynthia asked, crouching down next to her. Roselia answered by demonstrating Sunny Day. Cynthia noted that it still had some work to do. "Nice job girl," She praised. "Try to make it a bit shorter to form though. And try to make it last longer during battles. We'll work on it after you gain some experience." The blonde added.

"I want you to learn this move alongside Sunny Day." Cynthia said, pulling out her pokedex and showing her the usage of the move. Roselia watched carefully and nodded. "You'll have to pull your less dominant typing for this." She told her. "We need to focus on both typing, okay?"

Roselia nodded and told her to show the demonstration of the move a few more times. Cynthia did as she asked and Roselia finally nodded. "I'll give you your space. Remember to take a breather in between too." The Thorn Pokémon was left to her devices then.

Cynthia reached Nidorino who was learning Mega Horn. The blonde smiled at his determination and didn't interrupt. Nidorino didn't like when anyone broke his focus.

She headed towards the last of her team, Buizel and Squirtle. They were the Pokémon she had the biggest ideas for currently. One being 'Ice Aqua Jet', and the other being 'Counter Shield'.

"How's it going guys?" Cynthia asked. Buizel responded with a frustrated grunt while Squirtle sighed. "Having trouble with Ice Aqua Jet?" Buizel nodded. "What is it exactly?"

The Sea Weasel explained it to her and she nodded. Cynthia didn't need Riolu to understand her team. "You cannot control it and your aim wobbles." Buizel nodded and conveyed another message.

"That and you don't think you'll be able to do it in Solo?" He nodded. "Don't worry about that." Cynthia assured him. "Practice on controlling your Ice Aqua Jet Buizel. We'll work on the solo thing later." He nodded and exhaled to clear his frustrations.

"And Counter Shield?" Squirtle nodded and said that it was going comparatively better than Ice Aqua Jet. "How about you Buizel? How's your Counter Shield going?"

Buizel gestured that he hadn't worked that much on Counter Shield and was practicing more on Ice Aqua Jet. "If you want to, you can drop Ice Aqua Jet for now." Cynthia told him. "Learn Counter Shield first. It'll help a lot against the Fuchsia Gym."

Buizel considered it before nodding. "Take a short break and then continue. We're leaving for Fuchsia in a few hours." She left the two then.

Ice Aqua Jet, as you have guessed from the name, was a move that involved Aqua Jet, obviously. But instead of the free flowing liquid that enveloped Buizel, the water would be frozen into thick ice and the entire move would be converted into an Ice Type move.

Cynthia figured that a block of ice would hit harder than water. Besides, Aqua Jet was more useful for getting around due to the speed boost it provided. The only problem Cynthia hadn't gotten around was also brought up by Buizel.

Moving on to Counter Shield, it was something inspired from Squirtle's Water Gun usage against Sandslash. He had managed to use as both an offense and defense against him, hence the name Counter Shield.

It'll be heavily useful against a lot of enemies, especially the Fuchsia Gym Leader. Both of the above Combination Moves were inspired during the battle with Paul. In fact, the concept of these Combination Moves was created due to her loss.

Cynthia pulled out her pokedex and scrolled down to Roselia's move pool, sitting down. While Roselia lacked the raw power that Braixen or Nidorino possessed while also failing to properly fit into the hit and run strategy she uses with Buizel nor did she have the defensive capabilities of Squirtle.

What she did have was her unique typing. Roselia could act as a staller or as a hazard setter, or maybe both. Her ability to put the foe into a status ailment coupled with the fact that she had some moves that could bend the environment in her favor, Roselia had potential.

Cynthia had tried a lot of battle styles, ranging from her own usual battle style to Erika's Grass Types and all of them suited her rather awkwardly.

That was until Cynthia remembered May's advice. She had said that each Pokémon had their own style and she could not force one to change itself.

Cynthia thought she had understood the advice. But she actually hadn't. If she had, Cynthia would've solved this matter a long time ago and wouldn't need a defeat from Paul.

Cynthia sighed, trying to let bygones be bygones. Her mind had other plans however. Cynthia focused on her pokedex and bookmarked some moves.

Riolu came stumbling near her, catching Cynthia's attention. "Hey Riolu," Riolu didn't reply, climbing in her lap and sprawling. "Tired much?" Cynthia asked, running a soft hand through his sweaty fur.

'Training is so hard!' He whined. Cynthia smiled at that.

"Achieving one's goals is never easy. We need to work hard to even think of achieving our dreams." The blonde told her. Riolu looked at her with one open eye.

'What are we aiming to be anyway?' Riolu questioned. Cynthia paused at the question.

"That's something I don't know." Cynthia told her Emanation Pokémon truthfully after a few Moments. "I want to be a Pokémon Researcher just like Professor Oak." She told him. "Everyone has different dreams. What's yours?"

'How am I supposed to know?' Riolu asked. Cynthia chuckled a bit at his statement and put her pokedex away, deciding to play with the Fighting Type.

Xxx

"Ready for your first battle as a Servine Viper?" Ash asked. They had just finished breakfast and Viper was ready for her first match. Ash's statement got his entire team's attention.

Viper nodded, getting up and walking near him. "Who'll battle her?" Ash muttered, looking over his team. Mystic, Skylar, Bulbasaur, Lairon or Charmander?

Lairon roared challengingly, stepping forward. Viper looked at him with narrowed eyes. "You wanna fight?" He nodded. "Remember guys, this is a friendly battle. I'll call it off when it gets too intense."

Viper nodded, having no problem with that. Lairon grunted at the commands and settled eyes on the Servine. "That's for you too Lairon." Ash warned him. "Ready Viper?"

The Grass Snake nodded and readied herself. She didn't activate Overgrow yet, wanting to get a feel of her new body in battle first. She had done some testing early morning but that was all she did.

Viper gestured to Ash. "Want me to guide?" She nodded. "Okay then." Ash stood behind Viper, looking at Lairon. "Let's begin!" Lairon grunted and charged forwards with a Take Down.

"Counter with Leaf Blade!" Viper's tail elongated, sharpening, and she moved forwards at her fastest speed yet. Viper slammed her Leaf Blade on Lairon's head, stopping him completely in his tracks.

Lairon grunted in surprise, not quite digesting Viper's new power. The Servine grinned and powered up with Swords Dance, pressurizing Lairon and making him struggle against her.

Lairon boosted up with Iron Defense and let out a Metal Sound making Viper flinch. Finding out an opening, Lairon rushed forward and slammed into her with Iron Head, throwing her back.

"Vine Whip!" Viper understood his command, releasing her vines and slamming them down. The maneuver sent her in the air, evading the Iron Head.

Lairon turned around and triggered his Stone Edge, sending sharp rocks towards the airborne Viper's approximate landing point. "Leaf Tornado!" Viper unleashed sharp leaves around her, the myriad of leaves taking the form of a tornado.

Viper flicked her tail towards the stones. Her Leaf Tornado hit the series of rocks and tore through them, slicing them into small pebbles and continuing towards Lairon.

Lairon rushed forwards, Iron Head around him. Lairon growled challengingly and rushed straight into the leaves, pushing through and emerging on the other side.

"Leaf Blade!" Lairon again met Viper's Leaf Blade, his Momentum breaking and coming to a complete stop. Viper grinned, boosting up with Swords Dance and pushing the Rock/Steel Type back.

Lairon released another Metal Sound making Viper struggle against him. "Vine Whip! Jump back!" Viper jumped back and released her vines, hitting them on the ground and jumping back.

Lairon roared and rushed forwards with another Take Down, wanting to keep the battle close range. Ash noticed Lairon had only Stone Edge and Rock Slide as long range moves. He'll have to work on her versatility.

"Leaf Storm!" Viper blasted the approaching Lairon with a storm of leaves, stopping him in his tracks and making him stumble back. Lairon used Iron Defense, enduring the storm the best he could. "Now Leaf Blade!"

Viper reached Lairon while he was recovering from the Leaf Storm and slashed at him. Lairon stumbled back from the hit and growled at her. "I think that's enough!" Ash intervened.

Viper relaxed and gave Lairon a friendly gesture which he responded to with a grunt. "I think I have a pretty nice understanding of your new stats." Ash told his newly evolved Grass Type. "Great fight Lairon, you delivered a lot more than I expected."

Lairon grunted in reply and decided to walk away, not interested in his praise. "I have a few plans for you Lairon." Ash called out. "You lack a bit in long range fighting. And there's your move pool too. We need to expand on it."

Lairon looked at him. "We'll train and you'll get real stronger, kay?" Lairon looked at him, not quite believing that. "Just trust me. You can give me that much am I right?" Lairon grunted and nodded, walking away.

Ash looked at Viper and gave her a proud smile. "You've grown ready strong. Just need some firepower." Ash pulled out his pokedex. "How about Solar Beam? You already know Synthesis. You just need to learn how to use the gathered energy to attack instead of healing." Viper thought about it before nodding. "We'll train later on. Let's get a move on first. Lavender Town isn't that far off."

Xxx

Ash's entire team had developed quite a bit over the course of Route 10. He obviously avoided the abandoned Power Plant, not wanting to take fights he wasn't sure he'll win.

For one, the Power Plant had a lot of Electric Types and Ash wasn't sure he could take them on in their own natural habitat. Second, the area was sealed off for rookie trainers, a rank he obviously belonged to.

Besides, he already had his Electric Mouse. The Pikachu was one of his strongest Pokémon, maybe a bit lower than the newly evolved Viper. Ash would switch out him for maybe Bulbasaur or Viper.

That was the biggest problem Ash was facing currently. He didn't want to separate anyone from his team but had to due to the six Pokémon limit. If only he got the limit expanded…

But that was hard. Only the League Members and winners of a conference got their limits extended. Ash had a long way to go before he could even dream of achieving either of those. One day maybe…

"Hey Mystic," Ash spoke to the Evolution Pokémon on his shoulder. "I was thinking of recalling Zeus." Mystic yipped. "But I'm not sure on who to send to Professor Oak." Ash frowned in thought. Mystic also fell in thought. "I was thinking of sending Bulbasaur. Viper has recently evolved and Charmander and Lairon both are a big no for obvious reasons. Skylar was recently called back too."

Mystic yipped, saying that Bulbasaur hadn't exactly spent much time with him compared to the others. "With that logic, you'll have to go to Professor Oak." Ash commented. Mystic yipped in protest. "I'll have to be unbiased girl. Everyone's equal."

Mystic grumbled. "I'll regularly rotate my Pokémon girl. Don't worry." Ash told her. "When we'll reach Saffron, I'll send in Viper for you and Bulbasaur for Oceanus." Ash frowned with that arrangement. "That'll leave me with no Grass Types. Man, this is hard!"

Mystic yipped and said that he should focus on the present and focus on the future later. Any further conversation was halted as Ash's pokégear notified a message. "That's Cynthia." Mystic smirked and teased him. "She's just a friend Mystic." Ash said. "I thought you'll know that."

Mystic chuckled and nuzzled him soothingly. "We're about to reach Lavender Town in a few days." Ash took off his hat and ran a hand through his sweaty hair. "Need to get a haircut man." The rookie commented. "The hottest part of summer approaching Mystic. We'll have to reduce travelling and training if we want to leave unscathed." Mystic agreed with that. "Think we'll find a barber in Lavender Town." Mystic rolled her eyes and nodded. "I know, lame question." Ash typed in his reply and rolled his neck. "How about we set up camp now? We're not that far from Lavender Town anyway. No need to push it."

Mystic nodded and jumped off his shoulder. Ash spotted a nice camping spot and dropped his backpack. Ash typed in his pokégear, replying to Cynthia.

Mystic yipped, asking what she was asking. "Nothing special. Just normal hi hello." Mystic gave her equivalent of 'Oh' and curled up. Ash called out his team and settled for the night.

Xxx

"Is it me or are you feeling chilly too?" Ash questioned Bulbasaur. The Seed Pokémon nodded. There were a day away from Lavender Town and Ash wanted to believe he was overthinking things.

But deep down he knew he wasn't.

There were no Wild Pokémon rustling or playing around. That was never a good sign. Plus, there were very few trainers around here and most didn't even ask for a battle. They were in a hurry and paranoid.

Ash also felt chills ever since they were closing in on Lavender Town. He thought he had spotted things from the corner of his eye but there was nothing. He felt someone sneak up on his back but when he turned around, there was nothing.

His Pokémon were a bit overworked as well. Viper even activated her Overgrow a few times, trying to use the boost to spot someone. Skylar stayed close to them instead of stretching her wings.

Ash also noticed he had trouble sleeping. Vague nightmares and dreams assaulted him, destroying his sleep quality and making him cranky during the day. Even having Mystic close didn't help since his team sometimes suffered too.

That's why Ash had at least two Pokémon out at all times. Currently, Skylar patrolled from above while Bulbasaur remained close to him. Ash felt someone sneaking up beside him and tensed.

"Bulbasaur," Ash whispered. "Feel that?" Bulbasaur nodded and growled warningly. Ash felt the feeling vanish and sighed. "Let's just setup camp. The sun has fallen anyway."

Ash sat down near the route, releasing his entire team and letting them huddle close to him. Charmander was in his lap, being a baby and all, with Viper and Mystic protectively flanking him. Skylar was lazily trailing circles above them, her Keen Eye trying to spot anyone.

Lairon was a few feet away from them, feigning sleep. Ash knew that he was a bit disturbed from all the happening despite the Iron Armor Pokémon's best tries to hide it.

"Relax guys." Ash said, pulling out food for everyone. "Whatever it is, it won't dare attack us." Ash let the threat hang in the air. For a few Moments, the air stilled.

Ash's entire team stiffened, looking around to spot anyone daring to hurt their trainer. Charmander gave a questioning cry to Ash who pulled the Fire Lizard close to himself.

Viper activated her Overgrow, trying to spot anyone around. Mystic nuzzled Charmander soothingly while Lairon was ready to unleash a Metal Sound. Bulbasaur kept a sharp eye on Ash's side, ready for any ambush. Skylar silently glided upwards, having an aerial view.

The atmosphere went back to normal after a few seconds and his team relaxed. Viper shook her head and gave the bewildered a smile, tickling him with her vine. Charmander giggled, breaking the heavy atmosphere in the air.

"Eat up guys." Ash said, dishing out their food. Ash noticed they were wary of eating and smiled comfortingly. "I know you don't have much of an appetite right now and I don't have it too truthfully, but we need to be at our best."

His team decided to eat up at that. Ash smiled and ate up himself. Mystic fed Charmander so Ash left it to her. Charmander was handled much better by her aunt than him.

"I'm going to sleep now." Ash said, yawning. "Mystic," The Evolution Pokémon looked up and nodded. "Good night guys."

Xxx

Charmander was sleeping contently at Ash's side, snoring away. He growled when feeling someone poke him on his side. Using his tail to hopefully dissuade the one who was poking him.

The poking resumed much to his chagrin and Charmander opened his eyes. Charmander's eyes widened and he tried to wake Ash up when the figure grabbed his hand.

Gesturing him to stay silent, the intruder spoke to Charmander in hushed voices. Charmander replied likewise as well. Unknown to them, Viper was waking up…

Viper's eyes opened up, having just seen a nightmare in which Charmander was talking to a Ghost Type and Charmander was replying and-

Viper activated Overgrow in an instant, letting the boost shake off any sleep, and she used Vine Whip. Charmander let out a surprised cry when Viper pulled him back.

Her other vine shook Mystic awake who scrambled to her feet and growled at the figure. Mystic fired off a Shadow Ball which was retaliated with a Night Shade.

The two exploded against each other, the crossfire waking up Ash and his team. Viper rushed forwards, Leaf Blade ready, and swiped at the shady intruder.

It simply dissolved into the shadows making her look around. Mystic called out for her to look behind and Viper ducked, spinning around and countering the Shadow Claw with Leaf Blade.

The figure stumbled back from the hit and disappeared inside the shadows again. "Skylar!" Skylar got up, preparing her Sky Attack for a possible OHKO when a pulsing light lit the campsite.

Ash and his entire team's pupils diluted as they lost all sense of reality. The figure laughed evilly and was ready to push on when another figure hit him.

The two fought, struggling against each other. A Metal Sound rang across the campsite, hitting the two and forcing them away. Lairon thrashed around, the strange light having sent all of them in hallucinations.

Viper blinked before struggling and falling on her face. She saw things which wouldn't have made sense had she been thinking with a clear mind.

The six Pokémon and trainer spent the entire night under the influence of Confuse Ray.

Xxx

"Mystic? Mystic, wake up." Mystic blinked, stirring. She blearily opened her eyes and saw a very tired looking Ash shaking her gently. The Eevee got on her feet, looking around.

She yipped questioningly to Ash about what happened. "We got attacked by a Ghost." Ash replied, showing her his pokedex. Mystic blinked when she realized the Pokémon. "That's the Haunter haunting us from the past few days. He fled after affecting all of us with Confuse Ray."

Mystic saw their entire team looking tired as if they had fought the entire night. "Confuse Ray is a very dangerous move. Very taxing on the foe." Mystic didn't have any doubt about that. "We're in no condition to move or fight."

Mystic couldn't believe it. A single Confuse Ray was strong enough to defeat all of them?! All their training, preparations, and power yet they lost.

"I don't know why it didn't finish us off." Ash told her. "I don't think any of us would've been strong enough to hit it back." Mystic, realizing that her trainer was as shook as them, climbed into their arms and nuzzled him soothingly.

"I'm fine." Ash said, giving her a smile. "Let's begin the morning. We'll camp early today. Kay?" She nodded and Ash began to tend to everyone.

Xxx

"What the?" Ash gasped as he stepped foot in Lavender Town. Skylar, perched on his shoulder, let out a wary cry. Lavender Town was…

It was way scarier than what Ash had heard.

He had heard stories and myths about Lavender Town and Lavender Tower but never had he thought that Lavender Town would be like this. In no story did they mention it being so deserted.

"Where is everyone?" Ash muttered, walking through the empty streets. The atmosphere was heavy and unsettling, the air chilly and downright scary. Ash could've sworn he saw shadows dancing around him and saw some unbelievable things as well.

Every step he took could be heard due to the startling silence surrounding Lavender. Ash looked around, taking in the feeling. It was unsettling. He felt on edge, like someone would rush from the shadows and hurt him.

Ash heard voices, undecipherable and barely audible. Skylar let out a shriek, ruffling her feathers as a sign she was unsettled. Ash scratched her under the beak to calm her.

Ash saw dark clouds loom above Lavender for whatever reasons, covering the sun and preventing any sunlight from reaching downwards. It certainly added to the effect.

Ash spotted the main attraction of Lavender Town, the Lavender Tower, looming over the town, the top covered in mist. Ash saw faint purplish sparks cover the tower and the longer he looked at it, the more he felt his mind tugging at straws.

"Holy…" Ash gasped when he thought he saw ghoulish faces in the mist. Ash clenched his fists tight, taking a deep breathe to calm down. "Easy," Ash told himself. "Where is the darn Pokémon Center?"

Ash reached the Pokémon Center after a few minutes and entered inside. The lobby was completely empty which was surprising. "Hello and welcome to the Pokémon Center!"

Ash unclipped his pokéballs and handed them over to Nurse Joy. "What's up with Lavender Town Nurse Joy?" Ash asked her. The pinkette gave him a sad look.

"That's something only the elder can tell you." She replied. "But if you are here to catch a Ghost Type or to roam the Lavender Tower, I highly recommend you come back later on."

"What exactly is happening?" Ash asked her again as Skylar fluttered over to her shoulder.

"The Ghost Types are highly agitated and are attacking anyone in sight." Ash remembered the Confuse Ray incident. "So far, there are no casualties, only injured trainers."

"Where are they?" Ash questioned.

"They fled Lavender Town the Moment they were able to." She replied bluntly. "Except a few. They-" She hesitated. "They didn't heed our warnings and entered the tower."

"What happened to them then?" Ash asked, feeling fear nagging in his gut.

"Let's just say the rest of their journey got a lot harder and leave it to that shall we." Ash agreed completely. "A couple of trainers have yet to return. We fear they will be the first casualties ever recorded."

"Why has the League done nothing against it?" Ash asked again.

"They sent a trainer and she entered the tower." Nurse Joy sighed. "The last time we heard from her was a few nights ago, when her screams rang across the Town."

"You think she's…" Ash didn't end the sentence for obvious reasons.

"We're trying to remain optimistic." Nurse Joy answered. "Now, do you want to rent a room for the night?" Ash nodded and handed over his pokedex.

"Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town…" She hummed to herself. "Say, do you know Leaf Verdant?" Nurse Joy asked him. Ash nodded dread crawling inside for no apparent reason.

She gave a dreaded look at him. "What is it Nurse Joy?" Ash asked, voice coming out uneven.

"She's inside the Tower."

Xxx

"Do you see that Riolu?" Cynthia said, seeing a trainer scolding a blue bipedal Pokémon. The trainer had blue hair and an Australian accent as well.

"You're a dragon for God's sake! You can't win a single fight?!" The Dragon Type heard, head low. Cynthia got close enough and finally recognized the Pokémon.

"That's a Gible." She mumbled to Riolu. "A Dragon/Ground Type and a Pseudo Legendary." The trainer seemed to overhear her.

"And despite that, it cannot win a single match!" He turned at her. Cynthia was startled at that. "My father just bought this useless Pokémon and for nothing!"

"Maybe the fault isn't in the Pokémon," Cynthia uttered darkly, crouching besides the Gible. "It's in the trainer." She said, looking over Gible and seeing bruises.

"What you know about training Missy?" He sneered.

"More than you do, obviously." Cynthia muttered. Riolu gave the Land Shark a wave which he replied to with a tired grunt. "Have you even healed him?"

"He doesn't deserve it." Cynthia's head whipped up at the statement. "Father imported this useless piece of shit from Sinnoh for such a high price for my fourteenth birthday and guess what? He ain't worth it!"

He reared his leg back to kick Gible. Cynthia's eyes widened and she tackled him back. "What the hell are you doing?!" She shouted, grabbing Gible and pulling him in a hug.

"He's not yours!" He shouted. "It's my wish to do what I want to do with him!" Cynthia saw down at Gible and saw him looking at her pleadingly.

"He doesn't want to be with you." Cynthia replied back. The trainer clenched his fists.

"I don't care what he thinks!" He yelled. "He's mine and that's it! Father wasted money for him! I don't care what it thinks! It's legally mine and I own him!"

"The way you're treating him comes under Pokémon Abuse!" Cynthia replied. "I can take him from you and no amounts of money would recover him." She warned.

"Who'll save you then?" Cynthia paused at that.

"Is that a threat?" The blonde asked.

"Let me make myself clear then." He cleared his throat. "I'll kill you and no one would be able to pin it on me. You'll be just another trainer on the list, killed by wild Pokémon."

"You won't escape unscathed." Cynthia retorted.

"But you'll die!" He grinned. "And then your sweet Pokémon would be alone. You cannot even begin to think what can do with them." Riolu felt a bit scared at the aura he was radiating.

"Do you even hear yourself?" Cynthia questioned, shocked at his mentality.

"Want a demo?" He questioned. Cynthia didn't reply. "Good. Return Gible." Gible was about to let out a protest when he was sucked in. He approached Cynthia making her tense up.

Riolu let out a scared whimper, clutching Cynthia's pant leg tightly. "What?" She asked fearlessly, staring him in the eye. He infiltrated her personal space, standing nose to nose.

Grabbing her chin, he lifted her face up to his height. "I won't hurt you since you're cute. But Gible wouldn't escape unscathed." Cynthia's eyes widened.

"Don't you dare- oof!" She grunted when he kneed her hard. She stumbled back, clutching her stomach. Riolu felt all fear escape his body and leapt forwards, slamming into him with Quick Attack.

'Don't you dare touch Ma!' He growled out in warning. The trainer reared his foot back and tried to kick Riolu. The Fighting Type dodged, jumping back.

"Why you!" He grabbed a pokéball. Cynthia grabbed Riolu and covered him protectively, hand on Buizel's pokéball. "Stay in your limits bitch." He spat. "Hope our paths don't cross ever again." He began to walk away.

"How much for Gible?" Cynthia called out. The arrogant trainer paused and turned around with an arrogant look.

"More than a peasant like you could afford." He walked away at that.

'You okay Ma?' Riolu asked. Cynthia nodded. 'I hate him.' Riolu growled.

"The feeling's mutual."

Xxx

"What?!" Ash shouted out in alarm. Nurse Joy nodded gravely.

"She's one of those trainers who hasn't returned." Ash frowned in worry. "As I said before, we're trying our best to be-"

"-optimistic. I know." Ash sighed and decided to retreat to his room. "Thank you Nurse Joy." She smiled comfortingly as he climbed upstairs.

"Don't worry. The League will take action real soon." She added.

"They better." Ash reached his room and entered inside, lying on his bed. _'Lavender Tower.'_ Ash grunted, looking at the large tower from the window of his room. He had a window attached room this time. _'What is inside it?'_ Ash stared at the tower. _'Leaf, is she okay?'_

Ash sighed and took off his jacket and cap, putting them away. Taking off his sweaty shirt as well, Ash sighed and fell back down. _'Don't worry Leaf. I'm coming to save you.'_

With that vow, Ash entered the realm of sleep.

Xxx

" _Ash!" Ash looked around wildly, trying to spot from where the shouts were coming. "Save me! Ah!"_

" _Leaf!" Ash screamed. "Where are-" Ash paused. Leaf was hovering in front of him, a dark glow around her. Behind her was a slightly cracked rock with purplish gas swirling in circle above the stone, vaguely making a face._

" _Save me." Leaf gasped. "Help me Ash! Help me- Ah!"_

Ash jerked awake, panting heavily and looked around. "Leaf!" Ash shouted, looking around. "Damn," Ash cursed, clutching his head as a searing headache hit him. "Ow, what was that dream?"

Ash got up and decided to take a cold shower. _'What was that…'_ Ash struggled to find the proper word for that face of gas. _'Strange rock thing? A Rock/Ghost Type?'_

Ash turned on the cold shower and let it wash off any sleep he had. Wearing fresh clothes, Ash headed down. He spotted Nurse Joy and waved.

"Where can I find the elder?" Nurse Joy pursed her lips.

"At the East edge of Lavender Town." Ash nodded. "Your Pokémon are all ready." She handed over the tray and Ash, thanking her, clipped the spheres to his waist.

The Kantonian left the Pokémon Center, heading towards the East and releasing Mystic. "Hey girl," Ash greeted. "You remember Leaf?" She nodded and shivered a bit, the ghostly influence on Lavender Town making her feel uneasy.

Ash exhaled before continuing, "She's inside Lavender Town." Mystic yipped in alarm, climbing to his shoulder and looking at him for more information. "Nurse Joy told me that she was one of the few trainers who entered the Lavender Town and never returned as of yet."

Mystic yipped sadly, looking at the looming tower above them. "We're heading to the Elder for more information on what happened." Mystic licked his cheek reassuringly making Ash rub her head. "I hope she's fine."

Ash felt like he was walking through an abandoned town. There was no pokémon or human in sight. Though not that populated, Lavender had its fair share of people and Pokémon. For it to be so empty…

They reached the Elder's house, a simplistic house that seemed empty. Ash doubted he was at the right place. "You sure we at the right place? It seems… unoccupied." Mystic replied that every house seemed like that.

The rookie raised his knuckle, rapping it against the door. There was no response so Ash tried again. "Anyone home?" Ash called out. "My name is Ash. I'm here to meet the Elder. Nurse-" Someone clasped his shoulder making Ash freeze.

Mystic yipped in alarm and jumped off his shoulder. "You wanna meet the Elder?" Ash turned around, realizing that it was a human.

"Yeah," Ash replied, nearly having a heart attack. "Who're you?" The boy, who was a few years older than Ash, looked at the Eevee at Ash's feet.

"I can ask you the same." He said, smiling and crouching down. "You're a Pokémon trainer, am I right?" Ash nodded. "What are you doing here?"

"Came here to get myself a Ghost Type." Ash responded. "But Lavender Town says otherwise."

"This is the worst time you could've picked to check out my town." He said, getting back up. "Come inside. I'll fill you in on everything." The boy produced a key from his pocket and inserted it, opening the door and entering inside.

Ash followed him inside, picking up Mystic in his arms. As soon as he entered the room, Ash felt a pressure he hadn't really felt before lift off his shoulders.

"Grandpa, there's someone who wants to meet you." He called out. "Come on," He said, looking at Ash. Ash took off his shoes and entered inside, taking in the house.

It was an average sized house. Not something Ash expected from someone called the 'Elder'. A few decorations hung here and there but that was it. Pretty simplistic.

Mystic climbed on his shoulder, sitting there comfortably. Ash was led to a room where the boy asked him to wait. "Grandpa, there's a trainer who wants to meet you."

Ash felt someone wash over him and Mystic and shuddered. He saw a Gengar grinning at him with the grin his species were famous for and disappearing in the shadows.

"Anpu, how many times I have to tell you before you understand! I don't want to meet any trainer." Ash heard. "We've risked enough trainers for our selfish desires."

"But he wanted to meet you!" Anpu protested.

"That's what you said about that League Officer!" The elder shouted. "And look where she is at now!" The Elder sighed. "Call him in. Let's see what he wants to know."

Ash entered inside, taking that as his cue. "Hello," Ash said a bit awkwardly. The Elder was an old but fit trainer. A stick rested against the wall which led Ash to believe it was his.

"Welcome trainer." He greeted. "My grandson said you wanted to talk to me?" Ash nodded and sat down in front of him.

"I want to know what's going on." Ash told him. "What's up with Lavender Town?" The elder sighed.

"Another naïve trainer." He looked at Ash. "What will you achieve by knowing all of that?"

"My friend Leaf is in there." Ash cut to the point. "I want to go save her." The elder shook his head.

"Impossible." He retorted. "How will you save someone who is no longer alive?" Ash froze.

"How can you say that?" Ash asked in a small voice.

"The Leaf you're talking about is been in Lavender Tower for more than two weeks." He replied. "There are no signs of her being alive."

"You don't have any evidence she's dead as well." Ash pointed out.

"That's true." Ash nodded, fixing his cap. "But that does not necessarily mean she's alive."

"Tell me what's happening with Lavender Town." Ash switched subjects.

"You seriously believe you can _just_ barge in Lavender Tower and save your friend with the current experience you have?" The Elder asked incredulously. "If it was that easy, we would've gotten rid of it long ago!"

"I cannot let my friend die in there!" Ash protested. The Elder raised an eyebrow at that.

"This attitude will get you nowhere kid." He retorted. "That lady working for the League got defeated! You've got some nerve if you think you can outdo everyone else."

Ash exhaled, clenching his fists to calm down. "Sir," Ash began respectfully. "Will you at least tell me what's happening here?" The Elder grunted.

"Two months ago, a group of scientists entered Lavender Tower, saying that it was for research purposes and that they won't dare hurt or damage their surroundings. They showed the pass the League had probably granted them. We allowed them."

"That was, until one night it happened." The Elder frowned gravely. "It was a normal night when the Ghost Pokémon around us froze and screeched as if in pain. They began attacking all of us for no apparent reasons. We and Ghost Pokémon live in perfect harmony here at Lavender Town. For them to attack us out of the blue was unexpected."

"A lot of residents got hurt. The sky turned dark, the atmosphere got heavy, and scary mist covered the upper parts of Lavender Tower. There were screams, _blood curling screams_ that echoed in the entire town for the next two days." The Elder took a deep breathe. "They belonged to the scientists."

"That's when your friend Leaf comes into picture." He glared at Anpu who shrunk back. Ash stared at the exchange confusedly. "She had recently come into town and was surprised at the condition of it. When she asked about the condition, my grandson Anpu told her everything."

"He talked her into a foolish plan that would eventually lead to her demise. The two decided to enter the Lavender Tower and check it out, without informing any of us. Anpu returned a few days later, hurt and scared, but Leaf was nowhere in sight."

"I still remember her screams." Anpu added sadly. Seeing the Elder's and Ash's look, he winced. "Not helping. Sorry."

"We decided to contact the League. It took them a while to _actually_ dispatch someone to help us." He frowned. "When the League Official came, we were hopeful."

"And she disappeared inside the Tower, never to be seen again." Ash told them sadly. The Elder nodded.

"The League Official was one tough lady yet she failed." The Elder continued. "We've seen a couple trainers enter the tower like they were some sort of Champions and when they returned, it was pathetic."

"And yet you desire to enter the Tower." The Elder looked at him. "What makes you think you'll survive somewhere the strongest couldn't? Anpu may be an idiot, but he knows Ghost Types pretty well yet he failed. The League Trainer you already know. Believe me and stand out. They were foolish, you are not. Save your journey kid. You've got a huge life ahead of you."

"When I was sleeping, I had a dream." Ash began, staring off into space. "Leaf was calling for help, pleading, begging even." Ash broke off his stare and looked at them directly. "It may or may not be a trick played by the Ghost Types to lure me in but I can never ignore a cry for help."

"This Leaf girl, she means a lot to you doesn't she?" The Elder asked knowingly.

"She's a friend of mine." Ash replied. "I cannot leave her alone." The Elder sighed.

"Kid, you don't know what you're getting yourself into!" He growled. "So many have failed! What makes you believe you'll succeed?"

"I don't." Ash looked at him. "I'm sure." The Elder shrugged.

"Suit yourself." Ash smiled. "My blessings are with you. Here, take this." He picked up a necklace made of black beads with a feather between them. "They'll protect you against malicious ghosts."

"Thanks." Ash said, wearing it. He'll give it to Leaf once he met her. "Any tips for me?"

"Ghost Types are tricky to beat and even tougher to bear. In Lavender Tower, they'll be at their strongest. But due to this necklace, they won't be able to hurt you." Ash nodded. "The Ghosts won't hesitate to play mind games. Keep your head straight and don't let them distort your sense of reality. They do that and you die."

"Real assuring." Ash muttered.

"You find Leaf, you get out of there." The Elder responded. "No need to play hero and try to save Lavender Town. You don't find her, you get out. Don't head over to the higher levels." Ash nodded. "Don't just nod your head! Understand what I'm trying to say! No heading over to the higher levels! Promise me."

"Um…" Ash tried to think of an excuse. The Elder sighed.

"Why did I think you'll follow my rules?" He continued, "Always have an anchor to reality with you."

"Anchor?" Ash repeated.

"An anchor will bind your sense of reality and prevent you from losing it. You feel yourself floating away, you pull on it." Ash nodded. "A tip to get out of illusions. Look for things that are tricky and hard to replicate." Ash blinked.

"The Ghosts will do everything in their power to break you. If you spot Leaf, try to find a birthmark or something that only you know. It'll mark whether you've found her for real or its all fabricated."

"Anything else?" The Elder shook his head. "Then I guess we're ready to go."

"One last thing." He interrupted. "Try to return before dusk."

"I'll try." Ash said and fixed his cap. "Let's go Mystic." The Evolution Pokémon yipped and jumped on his shoulder.

"Your Eevee, that's your starter?" Elder asked. Ash nodded. "She has a really high friendship with you."

"We've been together a lot." Ash replied.

"Not many Pokémon are willing to risk themselves for the trainer." The Elder got up, clutching his stick and walking over to them. "I feel…" He trailed off, rubbing her head. Seeing Mystic's look, he chuckled and nodded. "Tell me your name boy. If you die, we'll remember your sacrifice."

"Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town." Ash responded. "And I'm not going to die, I promise." Ash clenched his fist.

"Pretty bold statement if I say so myself." The Elder stated.

"That promise is my anchor." Ash smirked. "And my second source of determination." Ash looked at the clock hung on their wall. "I'll take my leave now. Kay?"

The Elder nodded. "Good luck Ash."

"We believe in you." Anpu added. "And I'm sorry for putting Leaf in such a mess."

"It's fine." Ash replied. Ash then left the house, leaving the Grandson and Grandpa alone.

"You think he'll succeed?" Anpu asked the Elder. The Elder clutched his stick, in deep thought.

"Only time may tell Anpu."

Ash headed towards the Lavender Tower, epicenter of this disaster that had struck Lavender Town. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to." Ash told Mystic. The Eevee shook her head and yipped determinedly. No way she'll let Ash go in there alone!

Ash reached the path leading to the tower and paused. Taking a deep breathe, Ash closed his eyes and prepared himself.

"Having second thoughts?" Ash's eyes opened wide and he looked at the path. "You should. No one can stop it. Lavender is his now."

"Leaf?" Ash asked in disbelief. "Who's that 'it' you talking about? I'm not leaving you alone!"

"It was my choice that led to my demise." Leaf responded. "You don't have to die for me." Ash chuckled at the statement.

"You don't even sound like Leaf right now." Ash looked at her with a smirk. "If you want to get in my head, you'll have to try a lot harder." Leaf approached him and leaned in.

"I'm already in Ash," She whispered in his ear, grabbing his collar. Leaf giggled hauntingly and ran back, twirling and disappearing into thin air. Ash blinked and found Mystic looking at him worriedly.

"Sorry. The Ghost Types and their illusions." Ash replied. "Let's get going." Ash stepped foot on the path and felt gates close behind him. Ash turned around, spotting nothing. Cursing under his breath, Ash continued.

Mystic yipped warily, looking at skeletal remains probably belonging to the scientists. Ash felt fear grip him as he stared at a skull. "How much of this is real according to you?" Mystic promptly blasted the skull with Shadow Ball, blasting it. "That was real. I guess." Ash had a hard time drawing the line between fake and real.

The duo continued on, covering the distance while trying their best not to look at the environment. "Come on Ash," Ash heard. "Give in already." Ash raised an eyebrow at that. "You cannot save a dead person. Why try?"

"You're not dead. And you're not real." Ash answered bluntly. Leaf giggled.

"Oh Ashy," She caught Ash's attention with that. "You don't realize how foolish you look, talking to thin air." Ash blinked and saw Mystic looking at him concernedly.

"Ok, she's definitely in my head." Ash told the Evolution Pokémon. "Here we are." The two reached Lavender Tower in all its scary glory. Ash shook off the feeling that someone was crawling behind him and clasped the necklace.

Mystic let out a gasp suddenly. She pointed forwards with her tail. "Huh?" Ash opened his eyes and looked at it. His body froze.

The dead, rotting body of Leaf Verdant lay at the door of Lavender Tower, welcoming him to the horrors it possessed.

A chilling laughter rang across Lavender Town.

Xxx

 **Things are getting spooky! I'll tell you when the chapters are updated so stay tuned! Review if you want faster updates! With that said, let's head on to…**

 **Response to Reviews:**

 _ **Issei182:**_ **Some are planned; some are added as the story progresses like Riolu.**

 _ **UltimateCCC:**_ **Compare her to the Viper in her debut chapter.**

 _ **Cobb:**_ **Thanks for the support my dear reader!**

 _ **Guest:**_ **Sure, I'll keep a list in the near future when there are more Pokémon added with moves, nicknames, and stuff. And that was an editing error. Ash does not have a Riolu. I've rectified it.**


	22. Lavender Tower

**Do check the new chapter 1 I've updated! A lot of things have been changed and grammar has been fixed too.**

 **Here it comes, the chapter you've all been awaiting! Lavender Tower. Will Ash succeed or will he be captured just like Leaf? Not all endings will be rainbows and sunshine…**

 **Warning, this might get a bit** _ **intense**_ **in some places. It won't turn into Latias's Journey or Sun Soul but a warning is nice.**

 **(The proofread chapter will be uploaded by tomorrow. Brief grammatical mistakes may exist.)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.**

Xxx

 **Lavender Tower**

"L-Leaf?" Ash gasped. There was a haunting laughter which chilled him to his bone and Ash nearly wet his pants. Mystic yipped, hitting his face lightly with her tail, and Ash snapped out of it. "R-right."

Ash cleared his throat and walked forwards, trying to ignore the probably fake body of his childhood friend. Ash stopped besides it, turning his neck slightly to examine it.

The body began to laugh making Ash jump. Mystic growled as the dead body moved, its rotting neck twisting. "Oh Ashy, so happy to see you here." She raised a hand, extending it towards Ash slowly. Mystic formed a Shadow Ball and struck her shoulder, blasting the entire arm off.

"Stay down!" Ash raised his feet and, apologizing in his mind, slammed it into her decayed neck. Leaf's head was snapped off her body, which did nothing to stop her evil cackling. "Shut up!" Ash snarled, kicking the head off to the side hard.

There was an ominous dong above them and Ash closed his eyes, clenching fists and breathing deeply. Mystic licked his cheek and Ash smiled. "I'm fine. Let's go."

Ash stared at the large doors in front of him, created that size so bodies of large Pokémon could enter inside to be buried. Rumor had it Ghost Pokémon were the souls of these dead Pokémon. Ash never found it in him to properly think about it for obvious reasons.

The door opened suddenly, making Ash's breathe hitch as he glanced inside. "Let's-" Ash's words died in his throat. Unknown horrors, incomprehensible creatures, terrifying moans and cries of suffering were not even a quarter of the _things_ Ash was witnessing.

Mystic let out a distressed cry, feeling fear crawl into her heart. "Calm down Mystic. Nothing-" Ash froze as he looked at the side. Mystic was impaled to the door with a spear, her shocked eyes staring at Ash as red blood dripped down from her form.

"Ow!" Ash yelped, pulling his hand from the Eevee's mouth. "Damn." Ash cursed, realizing it was another one of the Ghost Type's stupid trick. Mystic nuzzled him comfortingly. "I'm fine." Ash prepared himself and nodded. "Let's do this."

Mystic nodded. "For Leaf and for Lavender Town." Ash tried to move but found himself unable to. Looking down, Ash's throat hitched when he saw two scary hands around his ankles.

"Going where Ashy?" Ash gritted his teeth as the fake Leaf's words rang in his ear. "Inside?" Ash felt two hands wrap around his chest and Leaf's body pressing from behind. "Go ahead if you can." She laughed hauntingly.

Ash gritted his teeth, trying to pull forward. Try as he might though, his feet refused to budge. Ash felt vomit lurch to his throat at the foul smell of Leaf's rotting body.

"I miss you." Leaf mumbled. "Let's stay together, forever." Ash felt her nails dig inside him and closed his eyes. "What do you say?"

' _This is not real! This is not real! This is not real! This is not real! This is not real! This is not real!'_ Ash chanted inside his mind. Feeling a sense of reality returning, Ash opened his eyes and found all the resistance vanish.

"You'll give in sooner or later Ash. Remember that…" Leaf's voice trailed off. Ash blinked and found himself staring inside the tower, frozen to his place. Shaking his head to remove any lingering fear, Ash nodded and stepped inside.

The door closed behind him, shutting tight. Ash, kind of used to jump scares by now, didn't react much. "I cannot see a thing." Ash complained. Ash felt his shoulders suddenly feel weightless and reached for his starter.

"Mystic?" Ash called out when he found the position unoccupied. "Mystic!" Ash hollered.

"You're protected from the necklace, but she isn't." Ash clenched his teeth as the fake Leaf appeared again. "She'll suffer because of you now. Sucks to be her."

"Mystic!" Ash called out instead, trying unsuccessfully to find anyone. "Where are you?!" Leaf chuckled.

"You'll save me? Nice joke." Ash reached for his flashlight and switched it on, flaring it around. His breath slowed a bit when he saw red blood on the wall. "Wonder whether that belongs to your beloved Mystic or not…"

"Mystic!" Ash called out loudly. Leaf giggled irritatingly.

"She's dead too. Get-" Leaf jumped out of the way when Ash blindly swiped for her.

"Shut. Up." Ash warned her coldly. Leaf smirked slyly at him.

"Or what?" She provoked. "You'll hit me? That's what you are? You'll hit your childhood friend?" Ash bit his lower lip angrily. "Stop trying to act tough Ashy. You cannot do a single _fucking_ thing to me." She hissed.

"That's definitely not my Leaf." Ash replied. "She never curses." Leaf processed it within moments and her laugh was audible even to the people in Lavender Town.

"Maybe." Leaf shrugged. "Oh, look. You're Eevee." Ash flashed the light there and saw a black figure darting just before he could identify it. There was red blood left behind, though.

There was a pained yip behind him, and Ash spun around hastily. There was a smear of blood down there but no one was in sight. "Mystic!" Ash called out.

"Look there." Ash turned around and saw Mystic in the air, surrounded by purple mist. By her expression, she seemed in intense pain. "Oh my." Leaf mocked. "Seems like the ghosts are having real fun with her."

Mystic opened her bloodshot eyes and let out a pained cry, one unmatched in the amount of pain and agony it expressed. "Mystic!" Ash roared. Mystic fell from the air down, the mist dispersing.

Ash ran forwards, trying to catch her. From the height she was falling, it was evident she won't survive. Ash increased his speed, realizing he'll make it.

However, he forgot to take the terrain into plan and tripped. "Oops!" Leaf giggled as Ash fell hard. Ash looked up, just in time to see Mystic hitting the ground hard. There was a sick splat, followed by cracking bones.

"M-my-mystic?" Ash gasped, crawling near the Evolution Pokémon. Ash felt someone bite his neck and gasped. His very vision morphed, and Ash stumbled.

"This is just the beginning…" Ash looked around, finding himself at the entrance of Lavender Town, Mystic on his shoulder. The Eevee was yipping, trying to gain his attention.

"It was another one of their games." Ash felt his knees weaken at the image of the dead Mystic in front of him and fell down.

"Fallen already?" The fake Leaf asked, standing near him. Her hand rubbed his sweat laden hair comfortingly. "You still have time Ash. Go away." She suggested softly. "Never return." Ash looked up and paused.

"That's all I can do for you." Leaf, the real one probably, was standing there, unhurt and alive. Tears shone in her eyes, lower lip quivering. "Please Ash, I beg you." She broke down.

"Leaf?" Ash blinked, getting up. One glance at Mystic on his shoulder showed that this was another vision. The brunette nodded, coming forward for a hug. Ash leaned in before backing off. "No! This is another fabricated reality!"

Leaf simply turned, pulling her brown hair aside. Ash saw Leaf's birthmark on the back of her neck and his eyes widened. Rushing forwards, he hugged her tightly.

"H-how?" Ash asked. Leaf didn't reply, shivering in his grip.

"Ash, get away." She warned. "I don't have any time left. Get out of here before she-" Leaf let out a cry of pain, body freezing up. She managed to push Ash away before it happened.

"L-Leaf?" Ash called out. Leaf stiffened and gasped as something erupted from her stomach. "Leaf!"

"You bitch." Ash saw the rotting, dead form of Leaf stand behind her, hand buried in Leaf's back. "Rot in pieces. You won't be missed." She pulled out her hand, spitting as Leaf fell down lifelessly. "I'll see you inside Leaf." She looked at Ash. "I'll be sure to torture and torment her thoroughly. Feel free to be in line."

"Don't you dare-" Ash's vision morphed again and he found himself on his knees, staring into thin air. Mystic was at his feet, yipping worriedly and trying to gain a response.

"I'm- I'm fine." Ash responded. Ash looked up, staring at the tower. "You're fine, right?" Mystic gave him a confused yip, wondering why Ash was asking her when he was the one hurt.

Ash breathed deeply, remembering what Leaf had told her. _"You still have time Ash. You can leave. Never return."_ Ash gripped his cap and fixed it on his head, getting up.

"I saw another fake vision." Ash explained. Quickly explaining her everything, Ash clutched the necklace around his neck. "I don't know how Leaf managed to get here or whether it was another of the ghosts play but I cannot leave. Not when we still have a chance to save her."

Ash reached into his bag and pulled out a gift Leaf had given him on his tenth birthday.

 _Flashback…_

" _Happy Birthday Ash!" Leaf exclaimed, running forward and hugging the birthday boy tightly. Ash hugged her back excitedly._

" _Why so late?" Ash asked crossly. Leaf gave him an apologetic look._

" _Was busy buying your gift." She replied. "Here!" She pulled out a small box, wrapped elegantly. Ash took it delicately, wondering what was inside._

" _What's inside it?" Ash asked curiously._

" _Open it and find out." Leaf replied cheekily. Ash did as she said, opening it. Ash finished unwrapping and his face lit up. "Like it?" She asked._

 _It was a silver colored bracelet, designed beautifully. Though not one for jewelry, Ash loved it. "I love it!" Ash exclaimed, inspecting it. He noted that it had some words carved inside it as well._

" _No matter how far you are from me, you'll always have me near you." Leaf read for him, probably having memorized it. "We're all going to start our journey soon so I thought you'll like this."_

" _You're the best when it comes to giving gifts Leaf." Ash praised. "Here, put it on my wrist." Ash handed her the bracelet and extended his right hand._

 _Leaf did as he said, putting it on. "Suits you."_

Mystic yipped and jumped on his shoulder, eyes shining with determination. Ash nodded and, checked for the flashlight, finding it there. "Let's go get her Mystic." The duo walked inside the open gates of the tower, stepping into the darkness.

The door closed behind them, ensuring that they were inside. _'No turning back now I guess.'_ Ash thought. _'Wasn't planning on it anyway.'_ Leaf was in the upper levels that much he knew. To reach there, Ash would have to find the stairs.

He glanced at the Evolution Pokémon on his shoulder. She was a Normal Type which meant that Ghost Type attacks won't hurt her. If they had to fight, Mystic would have a big advantage over them due to Shadow Ball.

"Where do you think the stairs are?" Ash asked his Eevee. She yipped a bit warily, not quite enjoying the scenery.

Lavender Tower was just as scary as Ash had seen in his hallucinations. The Ghost Types were trying their best to scare them off and indulge them into another series of nightmares. This time though, Ash was prepared.

The bracelet Leaf had gifted him stuck to his wrist, keeping him grounded due to its steely touch. Ash had to account for the ground as well, not wanting to trip over any grave.

"They're trying so hard to scare us." Ash commented as he found himself looking at a human face speared to the wall. "But you and I both know it's fake so why try?" The face disappeared. Ash spotted the stairs and grinned. "Let's go!"

Mystic yipped suddenly, jumping off Ash's shoulder. Ash quickly ducked behind a tombstone, dodging a Power Gem. "Shadow Ball!" Mystic formed the ball and took aim. "Where did he go?" Mystic yipped in pain as another Power Gem slammed into her side.

She endured it and fired off the Shadow Ball. Ash reached for his other pokéballs and grabbed one, throwing it. The bright light emanating from the pokéball lit up the surroundings, letting Ash have a quick read.

Lairon came out, looking around. "Metal Sound! Mystic, cover!" Mystic shut her ears with her paws as Lairon let out the screeching metallic sound.

Ash felt fear crawl inside him as _dozens_ of Ghost Types were affected. They all screeched in discomfort, floating around. Ash spotted the Ghost Type who had attacked them, a Sableye, and called out to Mystic.

The Evolution Pokémon formed her Shadow Ball and fired it, having gained a bit of resistance against Metal Sound. The ball hit the Sableye hard, making him stumble and float back.

Wounded, Sableye retreated in the shadows. Ash called Lairon back, picking Mystic and making a mad dash towards the stairs. He reached them and ran above, grinning as a few ghosts tried to stop them.

Try as they might though, Ash's necklace and Mystic's typing hindered them. The stairs were old, not having been tended to in quite a bit, and Ash had to watch his step. He managed, however, and reached the second floor.

Ash panted a little, settling Mystic down. "You okay?" Mystic nodded. "How many floors are there exactly?" Ash remembered reading about Lavender Tower when he was little. Ash tried to remember.

Mystic shrugged and tapped him with her paw, signaling him to keep moving. Ash nodded and continued, keeping an eye around. "So, you made it this far?"

"Hey. Was missing you." Ash commented to the fake Leaf. "How's Leaf? Killed her?" The fake Leaf looked at him adoringly.

"Aw. Someone's tempted to kill their friend." Ash didn't reply, looking around for the stairs. "Hey Ashy," She called out. "Don't you care about what Leaf told you? To stay out of trouble?"

"I don't care really." Ash replied. "Nice talking to you." Ash touched the bracelet, closing his eyes and sighing.

"You. Won't. Succeed." Leaf grunted and disappeared. Ash opened his eyes and looked around.

"Hey Mystic, where _are_ the stairs?" Ash questioned his starter. Ash felt someone run behind him and turned. "Mystic," Ash called out warningly. The Evolution Pokémon formed a Shadow Ball. Ash raised his flashlight, trying to spot anyone to no avail.

There was a mad cackle, and Ash turned to the source. He saw a pulsating yellow light, pulling his attention. Feeling a dull sense of déjà vu, Ash felt his vision blur. "Mystic!" He yelled, realizing what the light was. "Don't look! It's Confuse…" Ash's voice faded as he lost all sense of reality.

Falling forward, Ash collapsed face first. Mystic beside him tried her best to fight the effect off. "Goodnight Ashy." The fake Leaf grinned, crouching next to him and pulling the bracelet from his wrist. "Enjoy a long, nightmarish, slumber. Never wake again." She whispered in his ear.

Mystic growled warningly at her, struggling to even stand. Leaf laughed at her rather pitiful efforts. "Don't worry _girl_." She mocked. "You'll find company with the other buried Pokémon here. I'll make sure to bury you beside your trainer once we finish feasting on you."

Mystic fell, eyes closing. Leaf cackled evilly, her voice ringing all across the town. Within the town, the Elder looked at the tower worriedly. "Another trainer falls." He closed his eyes sorrowfully and shook his head. "Your efforts will be remembered, Ash."

Xxx

"Wonder why Ash isn't replying my texts." Cynthia muttered after having checked her pokégear. "He never takes this long." Riolu looked at her.

'Don't worry. He'll reply soon.' Riolu assured, feeling his Ma feel worried.

"I hope nothing has happened to him." She mumbled. "Ash has a tendency to fall in trouble. He almost died in Rock Tunnel." Riolu processed that.

'Sounds a lot like you.' Cynthia blinked. Where did that come from?

"What'cha mean?" The blonde asked.

'I mean, you also get into trouble.' He explained. 'Remember that poor Gible?' Cynthia clenched her fists at the memory. She didn't have words to express how angry she was feeling at the poor treatment he got.

"I hope he's fine." Cynthia mumbled. She shook her head, hating to accept the fact that she probably won't be able to do anything for Gible but knowing that it was the bitter truth.

Cynthia pulled out her pokégear, checking the map. "Good news Riolu." Her smile seemed to return. "There's a Pokémon Center near us. We'll be able to reach there before night. Let's get a move on."

The duo continued on, battling a few trainers and taking small rests. It was about midnight when they finally managed to reach the center. "Finally." Cynthia smiled. "Nothing beats a nice warm shower."

Cynthia entered the gym, tired and exhausted. She walked straight to Nurse Joy, handing over her Pokémon. "I also need room." The blonde told the pinkette, handing over her pokedex.

In order to reduce casualties and make journeys easier, the League opened up Pokémon Centers outside the cities. For example, this very Pokémon Center and those at both ends of Rock Tunnel were made for this very purpose.

"Here you go." Nurse Joy replied, handing over her pokedex and room key. Cynthia took it, thanking her. Cynthia was about to leave when a voice made her freeze.

"Nurse, how's Gible?" She turned around; spotting someone she really didn't want to. "Oh hey." He smirked cockily. Cynthia didn't reply, simply wanting to learn about the poor dragon and leave.

"He's still healing. The damage he took is pretty severe." Cynthia's eyes widened. "I can't believe you didn't call off the battle!"

"I wanted to, but he's real stubborn." Damien answered. "I hope he gets well soon." He looked sad but Cynthia saw straight through his façade.

Cynthia turned on her heel, deciding to leave. "Hey! Want to have an early dinner?" Cynthia turned her neck around, a furious look on her face.

"No." With that curt reply, Cynthia left for her room.

"Wonder what her problem is. She's acting like that ever since we met." She overheard Damien. Grabbing her key, she jammed it and opened the door angrily.

Cynthia exhaled, wanting nothing more than to just punch that cocky good for nothing trainer in the face. Knowing that it would only make matters worse, she decided to simply take a shower and rest.

' _Ash still hasn't replied.'_ Cynthia thought as she entered the shower. _'It's been a complete day. Hope he's fine.'_ The blonde already had tons of pessimistic thoughts plaguing her head.

Little did she know, those thoughts were true.

Xxx

"Stay still!" Ash yelled, trying to punch a strange mixture of his entire team. Ash stumbled, falling down, and felt dizziness overcome him. Besides him, Mystic fired off random Shadow Balls, causing a lot of collateral damage.

The fake Leaf watched from above, laughing at Ash's pitiful attempts to get out of the Confuse Ray. Ash, someone who had entered Lavender Town a few hours ago bravely to save his friend, was now suffering the same fate.

You may be confused about the effects of Confuse Ray. Let me explain while I have the chance. Confuse Ray, as its name suggested, confused the foe and made it see things that did not exist.

It had two effects, both of them including the above mentioned hallucinations. One of them induced the foe into deep sleep, making them see nightmares that drained them of all their energy and left them tired and vulnerable.

The other occurred when the foe struggled against it, resulting in them seeing hallucinations when they were semi-conscious. This resulted in them firing off random attacks. This effect was more common because the opponents usually struggled against the effect. If they were caught off guard or were unprepared, the former scenario occurred.

Unknown to her, Ash had someone ready to save him. "Where did he come from?" She hissed, seeing the Elder's son Anpu come in to save Ash.

Leaf jumped from her position, landing behind Anpu silently, and attacked the Lavender Town resident. Or at least, she tried to. "Ah!" Leaf growled, jumping back. Anpu turned around, glaring at the fabrication.

"Get away you vile Misdreavus!" He growled. Leaf blinked in surprise. How did he manage to see her real form!? She felt two spectral claws press in from behind and gasped. "Shadow Claw Gengar!"

Her human form flickered and she turned into her normal form. Anpu grinned as his Gengar overpowered the Ghost Type easily. "Hey Ash!" Anpu said, reaching the trainer and holding him by the arms. "Wake up dude!" Ash didn't reply, struggling against Anpu.

Anpu looked at his Gengar who had just delivered a strong Night Shade to the Screech Pokémon and injured her badly. The Misdreavus screeched, making Gengar flinch, and disappeared into the shadows.

"Hey Gengar! Over here!" Anpu called out. Gengar floated over, looking at the struggling Ash. "Can you snap him out?" Gengar nodded and touched Ash's forehead.

Ash's struggles slowed as the Confuse Ray was removed from his mind. Ash collapsed in Anpu's grip, and he settled him down slowly. Gengar floated over to Mystic, easing her down and helping her as well.

"Good thing I'm here eh." Anpu commented as Ash stirred. "Hey, get up." Ash opened his eyes, feeling his entire body ache.

"Huh?" Ash spoke up with a raspy tone. "Anpu? What are you doing here?"

"My fault your friend got into such a blunder and I'll fix it." Anpu replied. Ash reached for his bracelet, eyes widening when he found it nowhere.

"Where's my bracelet?" Ash asked, looking around. His starter climbed into his lap tiredly, falling down. "Hey Mystic, you fine?" Ash questioned. The Eevee yipped in reply.

"This isn't another play by the ghosts." Anpu assured him.

"And why do I believe you?" Ash questioned skeptically.

"Check for yourself." He replied. Mystic licked his cheek and Ash closed his eyes, focusing. He knew Ghost Types wouldn't be able to hurt him due to the necklace around his neck.

"You're right." Ash opened his eyes and got up. "How long was I out?" Ash asked Anpu.

"One hour maybe." Ash felt his legs ache and protest against his movement. "Here." Anpu offered some Oran Berries. Ash took them, offering them to Mystic.

Mystic yipped, taking one in her mouth and anther in her paw. Ash smiled and put the others in his mouth, chewing on them. The berry's energy restoring factor kicked in.

"Thanks." Ash smiled. "Where's my flashlight?" Ash looked around in the darkness.

"That should be the least of your worries." Anpu suggested, pulling out a flashlight of his own and flicking it open. "Gengar, you know the way to the top?" Gengar nodded. "Let's go Ash. The sooner we get this over with, the better."

Xxx

"You sure know your way here pretty well." Ash commented as they searched for the stairs. Frustration was evident on Anpu's face.

"Off course they'll do that!" He shouted. Mystic looked at him curiously.

"Do what?" Ash asked.

"The Spiritomb at the top," Ash blinked at the name. "Has created an altered reality around Lavender Tower. This gives him the power to alter the tower."

"It can do that?" Ash asked in surprise. "What is a Spiritomb?"

"You'll see at the top." Anpu answered. "And it can do a lot more than just alter reality. We're at Floor 2 currently. The higher we reach, the more deadly it becomes."

"We can't just leave." Ash protested.

"I'm not saying that." Anpu growled. "The Spiritomb hasn't considered us that much of a threat currently. When it does, it'll do everything in his power to finish us off like that League trainer."

"You sure the League trainer's dead?" Anpu shrugged.

"We can barely survive one day in here. You think she'll survive a week inside?" As much as Ash loathed acknowledging it, Anpu was right. She was _dead_.

"I hope you don't plan on being the same as her." Anpu commented. "We need to find out way above."

"Where did that fake Leaf go?" Ash wondered. "She sort of just disappeared."

"That fake Leaf, for your information, was a Misdreavus." Anpu responded. "Gengar has hurt her nicely. She won't be returning for quite a while now."

"Good for me." Ash muttered. "Can't your Gengar find the way around? He's a Ghost Type, right?"

"Can you stop asking questions!?" Anpu exclaimed. "Stop being so talkative!" Ash shut up at that. "Gengar, found a way?" His Gengar shook his head sadly.

Ash pulled out his pokedex, searching for Spiritomb. **"Spiritomb the Forbidden Pokémon. A Pokémon that was formed by 108 spirits. It is bound to a fissure in an Odd Keystone."** It had the same appearance as what Ash had seen in his dreams.

"Hey Ash," Anpu called out. "Gengar might've found a way. Come on." Ash nodded and, pocketing his ID, followed him. The Shadow Pokémon led them to the stairs leading to the 1F. "You can't be serious."

"Look, I can't stop questioning you if you leave things untold." Ash told him. "What is it?" The Gengar gestured to the bottom.

"Gengar just talked to the Misdreavus, the Fake Leaf," He elaborated. "She's telling us to retreat. We don't have a way above." Ash's face turned into a scowl.

"I'm not leaving without Leaf." Ash replied. "You can go if you want to, but I'm not." Gengar shook his head, telling something. Mystic's ears perked up, and she jumped from Ash's shoulder.

Ash turned around and saw the fake Leaf approaching them. She was clutching her arm as if in pain. "Get out of my home." She hissed. Mystic and Gengar took positions in front of Ash and Anpu protectively.

"And what if we don't?" Ash challenged.

"Then you'll die here." She responded. Ash smirked at that.

"If you wanted to kill us, you would've long ago." Ash retorted. "Just admit it, you cannot touch us. You can't do a single thing to us." The Fake Leaf cocked her head.

"I was going easy on you these past hours simply because your friend requested." Ash blinked. "But guess what? You've overextended your visit." Her form flicked and in her position floated a Misdreavus. A pulsating, hypnotic light emanated from her.

"Confuse Ray!" Anpu warned. The four covered their eyes, blocking the light. Gengar dove into the shadows and dove at Misdreavus from within.

Misdreavus let out a shriek, pushing Gengar away and used Night Shade. Gengar quickly retaliated with Shadow Ball. Mystic yipped and dashed forwards, running through the two attacks and spinning for an Iron Tail.

She scored a clean hit, knocking Misdreavus back, and Gengar used another Shadow Ball. It scored another clean hit and Misdreavus disappeared inside the shadows. Gengar dove behind her, engaging her from within.

"That was daring of your Eevee." Anpu commented. "Running in the crossfire of Night Shade and Shadow Ball."

"She knew they won't hurt her." Ash replied. "She's strong and clever. Easily one of my strongest battlers." Ash saw a few shadows swirl around each other and Misdreavus was pushed out.

Mystic, who had readied a Shadow Ball, let it rip. The ball hit Misdreavus and blasted her hard, making her drop to the ground. Gengar grinned, forming behind her. Mystic ran over to Misdreavus, opening her mouth and biting into her.

Misdreavus screamed in pain and tried to use shriek only for Gengar to freeze her in place. The Disable worked its magic, and Misdreavus was unable to move.

"Let's have a chat Misdreavus." Anpu uttered coldly, crouching besides her. Misdreavus was trying her best to break free, evident from her look. "Where is Leaf?" Misdreavus grinned.

"Why should I answer you?" She spat. Mystic growled and eased her Bite before snapping back down brutally. Misdreavus let out a cry of pain at that. Mystic growled a threat at her.

"Got your answer?" Anpu asked. "Will you answer now?" Misdreavus grinned despite the pain. "Gengar." Gengar's eyes glowed pink, swirling alluringly.

"No," Misdreavus whimpered, recognizing the Hypnosis. "Get away! Get…" Her eyes closed making Anpu grin.

"She down?" Gengar nodded. "Ask her about the position of Leaf and the League Official, if she's alive." Gengar nodded and released the hypnotized Misdreavus.

The two began to converse, Gengar asking questions and Misdreavus quietly responding. Ash was impressed. Gengar was quite skilled and strong. "Atta girl." Ash praised his starter. "He's your starter?"

Anpu nodded. "Gifted to me by Agatha." Ash's eyes widened. "She saw potential in me and gifted me a Ghastly. Raised him into Gengar. Her origin is of Lavender Town. Off course she'll help us." Anpu continued seeing his unbelieving look.

"Nice." Ash muttered. Gengar turned to the duo, telling them something. Anpu nodded.

"Misdreavus is going to show us the way to F3. Let's get a move on." Ash, Mystic in his arms, followed him.

"Good thing you came to save me." Ash commented gratefully. "Or I would've died a long time ago."

"Don't mention it." Anpu said. The two reached a corner and saw the flight of steps leading above. Ash could've sworn they had checked over there. "Leaf is on F4. The League Trainer is on F5."

"She's alive?" Ash questioned happily.

"Don't expect her to be in great shape though." Anpu replied. "I won't be surprised if…" He shook his head to clear the thoughts. "Good thing you haven't seen the bodies of the scientists."

"I might have a vague idea." Ash replied, remembering some of the horrors he had seen during Confuse Ray. The four began climbing the steps and reached above easily.

Gengar grunted in pain when a Power Gem hit him, knocking the Misdreavus in his arms out. Mystic growled and fired off a Shadow Ball at the Sableye who dodged easily.

Gengar threw the Misdreavus to the side, dashing towards Sableye. Unknown to him, a shadow hit him hard and sent him to the side. Mystic quickly leapt in front of Anpu, batting the Shadow Ball away with Iron Tail.

Ash grabbed two pokéballs and threw them, revealing Viper and Bulbasaur. More Ghosts emerged from the shadows, joining the battle against them.

"Froslass! Frillish!" Anpu called. From within his pokéballs, the two semi-Ghost Types appeared and began the fight. "Froslass! Take the Banette! Frillish use Mist! Gengar, stay close to us!"

"Mystic and Viper, engage the Sableye! Bulbasaur, help Froslass!" Ash ordered. The six Pokémon worked in tandem against the Ghosts. Mystic yipped and dashed forward, trying to get a Quick Tail in. A Haunter tried to block her only for Viper to engage him instead.

Mystic reached Sableye, spinning and trying to deliver the Iron Tail. Sableye dodged, and blasted her back with Dark Pulse. Mystic quickly recovered, growling and firing off quick Shadow Balls.

Sableye retaliated with Night Shade, using it to destroy the Shadow Balls, and followed up with Power Gem. Mystic yipped, dodging it, but was unable to dodge the Sucker Punch by another Haunter.

She was knocked off her feet by the hit and Sableye blasted her with another Dark Pulse. Viper quickly trapped the Haunter with her Leaf Shield, and let it collapse on him.

Haunter let out a growl of pain at the sharp leaves hitting him from all sides, and was knocked out by Viper's Leaf Blade. Her foe down, she quickly used Vine Whip and grabbed the Sableye.

Sableye turned around and used Night Shade forcing Viper to fall back. This gave Mystic enough time to gather herself and blast his back with Shadow Ball.

Sableye screeched at the super effective attack and disappeared in the shadows, appearing behind Viper and using Night Shade. Viper, having enhanced senses due to Overgrow, quickly saw him and used Leaf Shield behind her.

The two attacks collided, blocking the other, and Viper leapt behind with Leaf Blade. Sableye dodged it and blasting her bare back with Power Gem.

Viper grunted, quickly finding her footing, and readied a Leaf Storm when Mystic collided with her. The two were sent tumbling, courtesy of the Haunter, and a Power Gem plus Shadow Ball dealt further damage.

Bulbasaur tried his best to trap the Banette with his Vine Whip but the Marionette Pokémon easily weaved between. Froslass engaged him in the shadows, using the Mist to her advantage.

Bulbasaur fought against the other Ghost Types instead so they could not engage Froslass. His Razor Leaf and Vine Whips were skillfully utilized.

Frillish decided to assist Froslass seeing her teammate struggle. The duo of Ghost Types worked in nice teamwork, forcing the stronger Banette back.

"Bulbasaur! Return back!" Ash called out. Bulbasaur nodded and ran back to Ash, standing near him defensively. Anpu had sent his Gengar to help the others.

"This is wild!" Anpu exclaimed.

"Why are the Ghost Types so strong here?!" Ash asked. They were strong generally, but this was just ridiculous.

"Due to the Spiritomb!" Anpu answered. "The higher we get, the stronger they are." Ash grunted. "Thank the necklace we have. The story would've been pretty different if we didn't have them."

Ash saw Mystic hit the ground hard, further hurt by the Sableye, and his eyes widened. "Mystic!" Viper jumped in front of her, using a Leaf Shield, and had her back.

"We cannot let this drag on." Anpu growled. "We'll need our strong for later."

"We can run to F4." Ash suggested. "I can have my Lairon create an opening and we'll make a dash."

"We can't." Anpu informed him. "We'll need a Ghost Type under our capture to proceed. Where did the Misdreavus go?"

"Behind you." Anpu turned around in surprise, and was struck by a Psywave. Ash reached for Skylar's pokéball but a Power Gem hit him and knocked him off his feet.

"Ah!" Anpu cried out. Misdreavus sighed in relief, the Pain Split having gifted her some health, and took the form of the Fake Leaf. Ash tried to get up but a Power Gem knocked him back down.

"I can hurt you." She threatened, crouching next to Ash. "And I will." She spotted Ash's necklace and growled. "But I need to get this out of the way first."

The Fake Leaf was thrown to the side, Gengar engaging her. Ash got up, clutching his chest where the Power Gem had hit. "Anpu! You okay?" Ash asked, crawling next to him.

"That hurt." He moaned. Ash helped him up and looked at the Misdreavus engaging Gengar again. "This necklace only helps against Ghost Type attacks." Anpu realized.

"That's why her Power Gem and Psywave hurt." Ash gritted his teeth. "We need to get one of them under our control. We do that, we can escape."

"I like your optimism." Anpu remarked. Ash saw his Bulbasaur engaging two Ghost Types at once and frowned. "That's why that Misdreavus was able to sneak up to us."

"Skylar, I choose-" He was stopped by Anpu.

"We'll need the rest of your team later on." He warned. "The Spiritomb at the top won't go away easily."

"True." Ash sighed. Bulbasaur managed to dispose one of the Ghost Types making Ash smile. "Not all of them are strong. Some are just fodder."

"Hey Ashy." Ash turned around, just in time to see a Power Gem hit him and knock him on his rear. Anpu saw Gengar being brutally attacked by four Ghost Types, completely overwhelming him.

The Fake Leaf looked at Ash and made him freeze. "Don't even think of interfering." Anpu didn't know what hit him, but the primal fear inside him made him step back. Leaf grinned slyly and approached Ash, crouching besides him.

"Lord Spiritomb has blessed me." She purred, trailing a nail down Ash's cheek. "Your puny necklace," She grabbed it with her hand and grinned. "cannot do anything against me." She chuckled evilly and released it.

"H-how?" Ash asked in disbelief. Leaf got up, dropping down and kneeing him hard. Ash gasped, the wind knocked out of him as Leaf pressed her knee inside his stomach.

"I told you I'm going easy." She said, wrapping her hands on his neck and standing dominantly over him. "But you had to challenge me." Her grip tightened, constricting Ash's breath. "Now die."

She was knocked off Ash by Mystic. The Evolution Pokémon yipped angrily at her, daring her to attack. Leaf gritted her teeth and transformed back into Misdreavus, glaring at Ash's starter.

"Why you!" She growled and formed a Power Gem. Mystic yipped and jumped forwards, dodging the Power Gem, and lunged in for a Bite. Misdreavus floated out of her way and shot bright pink blasts from her eyes.

Mystic was hit and hit the ground. Rolling to her feet, she retaliated with a quick Shadow Ball. Misdreavus gasped as it struck, floating back from the power behind it.

Mystic followed up with a Quick Tail, closing in. Misdreavus dodged it again, diving into the shadows and disappearing. Mystic quickly landed and took off into a mad dash.

A Power Gem hit her feet, tripping her, and Misdreavus blasted her with a particularly strong Psywave. Mystic gritted her teeth, enduring it to the best of her ability.

Ash glared at the Sableye who had interfered and saw Viper getting overwhelmed by a trio of Ghost Types. "Reform guys!" Ash called out. Viper quickly used Leaf Shield, pushing the ghosts away, and jumped up with Vine Whip.

The Leaf Shield swallowed the ghosts, trapping them and giving Viper her opportunity. She moved her arms in a slicing motion and the Ghosts cried out.

Bulbasaur drained one Ghost Type with Mega Drain and Vine Whip, throwing it away and approaching him. Misdreavus screeched making them flinch and rushed in.

"Hello." She greeted, appearing in front of Mystic and used Confuse Ray. Mystic had no time to protect herself, taking off guard. The hypnotic effect of the technique took effect, luring her in.

Misdreavus gasped as a tornado of leaves swallowed him, throwing her in the air. Bulbasaur and Viper stood in front of Mystic, letting the Eevee take a breather.

"We need to take out the Misdreavus, Banette, and Sableye." Anpu told Ash. "We do that, they lose their leaders."

"Good plan." Ash said, turning his cap to the side. "We tried splitting them up but that didn't work."

"The Banette is being handled by Froslass and Frillish." Anpu told Ash. "Gengar can take on the Sableye." Anpu looked at the rookie. "You get the Misdreavus and the cannon fodder."

"Sure." Ash agreed, looking at the ghosts. "Skylar I choose you!" Ash threw the pokéball. His Flying/ **Normal** Type Pokémon came out, shrieking. "Viper, Bulbasaur, and Skylar. You guys take on the ghosts." They nodded. "Mystic, we're fighting Misdreavus."

The Misdreavus chuckled. "You'll defeat me?" She asked, not quite believing it. "Think again." Mystic growled challengingly.

"Why don't we find out with a 1v1?" Ash asked. Mystic barked a challenge. Misdreavus gave them an amused look.

"You're funeral." She lunged forwards. Mystic quickly jumped from her spot, speeding away with Quick Attack. Misdreavus disappeared in the shadows making Mystic look around in confusion.

"How can she speak?" Ash wondered. "Mystic! Double Team!" Mystic flickered and a dozen copies appeared. Misdreavus appeared from the shadows, floating high above and using Psywave.

"Shadow Ball!" As the waves washed over her copies, our Evolution Pokémon sneaked behind Misdreavus and blasted her with her infamous Shadow Ball.

Misdreavus let out a pained cry at the hit and quickly countered with Power Gem. Mystic steeled her tail and slashed at it, the Steel Type move breaking the Rock Type move away.

As the two went at each other, we'll move to Ash's other Pokémon.

Viper let loose another swarm of leaves, trapping a Few Ghost Types in one spot, and Bulbasaur blasted them with Energy Ball. Viper let her Leaf Shield collapse on the ghosts, trapping them within the swarm.

Skylar shrieked, lunging from above and slashing through Ghost Types with Quick Wing. Due to her Normal Typing, any Ghost Type attack didn't hurt her and her speed helped her evade any other attacks.

Banette let out a Pain Split, affecting Frillish and making her cringe. Froslass blasted his back with Ice Beam making him cringe at the Ice Type hit.

Frillish blasted him with Poison Stings, delivering the poison her species was famous for. Banette winced as the poison worked its wonders and another Shadow Ball hit his back.

Gengar took on the Sableye within the shadows, fighting ferociously. The Darkness Pokémon was on par with Anpu's starter, something Gengar knew wasn't due to the boost Spiritomb had given some of them.

The battle continued its sound ringing on for the entire town. The residents of Lavender looked at their landmark, the Lavender Tower, fearfully. For they didn't know that someone was fighting to liberate them from the Spiritomb.

"Can it be?" The Elder gasped. "Is Ash… alive and fighting?" A middle aged woman came running in his room, face morphed into worry.

"Elder!" She shouted. "Anpu is inside the tower!"

Mystic skidded back from the latest Psybeam, panting from the long drawn battle. Misdreavus had suffered some damage as well but she was still in far better shape than Mystic.

"Give it up Ashy." Misdreavus mocked. "You'll never win." Ash frowned at Mystic's condition.

"Can you continue?" Mystic nodded. "Good. Shadow Ball!" Mystic formed the ball and let it rip. Misdreavus countered with Power Gem, the two attacks colliding and exploding against the other. Misdreavus levitated inside the smoke, trying to catch Mystic by surprise.

The Evolution Pokémon yipped and attacked her from behind, sinking her teeth into the back of her head. Misdreavus gasped at the super effective attack.

Mystic shook her head roughly making Misdreavus dizzy. She slammed her down, putting a paw on her and, taking a tiny break to breathe, continued to tear into her.

Misdreavus gritted her teeth in pain and let out a Screech. Mystic did wince but didn't react otherwise. Misdreavus's eyes glowed and she took aim at Ash.

Ash's eyes widened at the incoming Psybeam and he dropped to the side, dodging it. Mystic growled angrily and hit Misdreavus into a wall. Misdreavus quickly used Shadow Sneak, reaching for the shadows, but Mystic pulled her back.

"Sableye! Help!" Sableye, who was fighting Gengar, heard that and fired off a Power Gem. Gengar tried to interfere but Sableye struck him with a Shadow Ball.

The Power Gem hit Mystic on her side making her flinch from the pain. Her mouth loosened, and Misdreavus floated free. She turned immediately and used Confuse Ray.

Mystic closed her eyes immediately, shielding herself from the waves, but was unable to see Misdreavus blasting her with Psybeam. She yipped in pain and formed a Shadow Ball.

Misdreavus dove into the shadows, dodging the blast, and appeared at her side with another Psybeam. "Mystic!" Ash called out in alarm. Skylar, seeing Mystic struggling, swooped in and delivered an Aerial Ace to Misdreavus.

Mystic opened her eyes and spun, delivering a Quick Tail into Misdreavus, and slapped her away. The Eevee swayed on her feet before collapsing on her side, knocked out.

Skylar shrieked and engaged Misdreavus in a fight. Ash pulled out her pokéball, trying to return her, when Anpu tackled him down. A Power Gem nearly hit them. "Thanks." Ash told him shakily.

"How's it going with Misdreavus?" Anpu asked.

"She knocked Mystic out." Ash replied. "But Skylar is almost done with her." Anpu nodded.

"Banette is almost down too. Gengar must be finished with Sableye as well." Anpu looked at the swirling shadows that were Gengar and Sableye. "Tell one of your Pokémon to go help Froslass. I'm sending Frillish over to him."

Ash nodded and gestured at Bulbasaur. "Go help Froslass! Viper, can you hold your own for a few minutes?" The Grass Snake nodded and continued fighting. Ash frowned when he saw the bruises and injuries littering their bodies and their panting.

Viper was burned out too. Overgrow took a toll on her energy though not at such a rapid pace as when she was a Snivy. She was fighting through sheer will against the few remaining Ghost Types.

Bulbasaur also was limping a bit. Ash would have to heal them once he finished the battle. Ash saw Misdreavus hit the ground hard and get knocked out, Skylar pinning her down triumphantly.

Banette dodged Froslass's attacks, panting as the poison stacked up heavy damage. To make matters worse for him, Ash's Bulbasaur was restricting his moment any way he can using Vine Whip.

The Marionette Pokémon decided to take down Bulbasaur first seeing as he was blocking him bad. Banette lunged at Bulbasaur, intent on knocking him out.

Froslass emerged from the shades, hitting him with Shadow Ball, and Bulbasaur threw his vines around him, wrapping him and slamming him down.

Froslass formed an Ice Beam and unleashed it, hitting Banette. The Marionette Pokémon struggled against the damage before collapsing. Bulbasaur released him, panting and collapsing down.

Froslass gave him a grateful nod and then floated over to help her teammates. Bulbasaur gathered his energy and got up, looking at Viper who was getting overwhelmed by the ghosts.

The Grass Snake countered a Shadow Claw with her Leaf Blade, using Swords Dance once again and overpowering the Ghost Type. Struck hard, it floated back and Viper quickly finished him with another Leaf Blade.

A Ghastly wrapped itself around her, suffocating her in its poisonous form. Viper dropped to one knee, panting and focused. A Leaf Tornado formed around her, enveloping the Ghastly and pushing it off her.

Viper threw the Leaf Tornado towards the other ghosts, hitting the ground and dropping down. Sweat trickled down her back as she stared at the remaining ghosts.

The numbers were still vast in quantity. Viper felt Overgrow wear off and got up on shaky feet. She stared at the approaching Shadow Balls and Night Shade, trying to form a Leaf Shield.

Her muscles ached with the effort. Viper ignored them and formed the leaves, forming them around her. It blocked the upcoming Ghost Type attacks, failing to break through.

Viper focused, trying to send it outwards. Her control faltered, and the leaves dispersed. A Ghastly sneaked up behind her, hitting her pointblank with a Night Shade.

Viper skidded across the floor, hitting a grave and collapsing there. Her tail leaf twitched as she struggled to find any remaining energy. The ghosts formed another volley of attacks and fired them.

Viper waited for the attacks to hit, tensing. She could feel the ghostly energy approaching her, aimed to eliminate her completely from the fight.

There was a supportive cry, and Viper felt someone stand behind her. The pain she awaited from the attacks never came. Viper opened one eye, looking towards the ghosts.

She was offered a vine instead. Viper looked up and saw Bulbasaur looking at her concernedly, his Protect giving them a few moments of rest.

Viper took it and pulled herself on her feet. Back against the grave for support, the Servine looked at the army of ghosts. The Protect faltered and she prepared herself.

Skylar swooped in for another Aerial Ace, hitting the pesky Ghost Type. Misdreavus disappeared in the shadows, evading her with ease. Skylar shrieked in annoyance and flapped her wings, forming a Gust to help her fellow Grass Types.

"Focus on your own battle!" Misdreavus shrieked from behind, blasting her with Power Gem. Skylar shrieked from the super effective hit and quickly dropped down, regaining control and speeding towards her.

Misdreavus was hit this time, knocked back, and Skylar tried to bury her talons inside her. The Ghost Type let out a chilling scream, forcing Skylar back, and let out a Psybeam.

Skylar countered it with Gust, the two attacks colliding. The avian created a dozen copies with Double Team, diving down on Misdreavus simultaneously.

Misdreavus tried to dive into the shadows, but a Quick Wing caught her and sent her spinning back. Skylar grinned and turned around, hitting her again.

Misdreavus was knocked around repeatedly by the Pidgeotto, unable to make a comeback. Though the confined space of Lavender Tower was not enough for Skylar, she adjusted pretty nicely.

Misdreavus let out a shriek for help as she was tossed around. Seeing none forthcoming from her team, she took matters in her own hands and closed her eyes.

Skylar felt someone stab needles in her back and shrieked. Misdreavus righted herself, invigorated from the Pain Split, and tackled her with a Payback.

Skylar was sent flying back, hitting the ground from the heavy damage. Misdreavus formed a Power Gem and blasted her wing, damaging it. "Try flying now birdie!" Misdreavus taunted, forming a Psybeam and hitting her other wing as well.

"Skylar!" Ash shouted out in worry, seeing his second capture writhe around in agony. There was a chilling cry, and an Ice Beam slammed into the Misdreavus.

Froslass appeared at Skylar's side, glaring at the Screech Pokémon icily. Ash quickly returned Skylar, praising her for her valiant efforts. Looking around the battlefield, Ash saw his Grass Types get overwhelmed.

"Viper!" Ash hollered as the Grass Snake was blasted from all sides with Night Shades. A Shadow Ball later, she impacted the ground and lay limp. Bulbasaur leapt besides her, forming a Protect. "Anpu! We need to-" Ash froze when he saw the trainer out cold.

' _This is bad! Very bad.'_ Ash realized. Ash saw Gengar reform in their plane of existence, reeling from a Shadow Claw. Three of his Pokémon were down already, and only Bulbasaur and Lairon remained. Ash clutched his last pokéball, preparing to throw it.

"Don't." A hand gripped his. Ash turned around and saw Misdreavus looking at him with a sly smirk. Blood dripped from a large gash on her forehead, her left shoulder was exposed to the bone, and her left arm was twisted at unnatural angles.

Ash stumbled back, glaring at the disguised Misdreavus. "It's useless. You've lost." Ash didn't reply, reaching for the Dusk Ball. The fake Leaf's hand shot forward, clutching his tightly and pulling it up.

Ash felt the pressure intensify, and a cracking sound was heard. "Don't." Ash gasped as she squeezed tightly, breaking his right wrist. "Do I make it clear?" She released his hand, letting it drop to his side.

Ash clutched his wrist with his other hand, dropping to his knees and pressing it tightly. "Ow." Ash moaned, trying to ignore the sharp pain shooting up his hand.

"This is useless." She commented, looking over the battle. Bulbasaur was staggering back from the constant hits, trying his best not to collapse. Behind him, Ash's Servine was out cold.

Mystic was close by, knocked out in the cover of a grave. It protected her from the crossfire of the attacks. "You've lost Ashy. Just admit it and join us."

"I won't!" Ash shouted back. "We'll fight till our last breath! I'm not giving in to some stupid ghost!" Leaf's eye twitched and her fist flew forward, hitting Ash's face and knocking him on his back.

"You will!" She roared, slamming her feet on his chest and pressing down. Ash's grabbed it and tried to push it off. Leaf ignored his protests and leaned down, chest on her thigh. "Your friend Leaf is dying as we speak. So is the League Official. Gives all the incentive for you to live, right?"

"Get… off!" Ash struggled. Leaf gave him a sadistic smirk.

"Why will I?" She looked Ash straight in the eye, a hypnotizing yellow light filling. "Enjoy hell Ash. No one is going to save you this time." Ash clenched his eyes shut, refusing to look. Leaf growled and kicked his face hard, crouching down on him.

She grabbed Ash's moving face with one hand and forced one of his eyes to open. "Look." Ash struggled against it. Leaf tried for a few more moments before sighing and getting up.

Ash opened his eyes, looking around. There was pin drop silence, something which scared Ash to no end. "Any illusion." Ash grunted. "And I don't have any bracelet as well."

"Ash!" Ash looked up and saw Leaf, the real one, looking at him. Her entire form was beaten, bloody, and on the verge of collapsing. Her clothes were torn at most places, soaked in her blood and dirty.

"Leaf?" Ash asked eyes wide at her condition. She stumbled, collapsing down. Ash ran towards her. Or at least, tried to.

"That's her." Ash heard Misdreavus whisper in his ear. "The one girl you tried so hard to save, the one girl you doomed your entire team and Anpu to, is about to die."

"No!" Ash shook his head. "This is not true! I refuse to admit that!" Ash hollered.

"Shouting won't get you anywhere!" Misdreavus shouted back. "She's about to die and you need to admit that! Look at that!" She grabbed his cheeks and forced him to look at Leaf.

Leaf was down on the ground, clutching her stomach hard. Ash felt tears reach his eyes at the condition his friend was in. "No…" Ash whispered.

"Yes." Misdreavus smirked, grinning. "She's your Leaf, and she's about to _die._ " Ash felt weak at his knees. "Lavender Tower is your graveyard. I'll personally bury you two together, besides your team."

"I can imagine it." She laughed sinisterly. "You and Leaf, locked in a never ending slumber, close enough but not close enough to touch each other. That'll be a nice end to your stories."

"Your Pokémon will be around you, their bodies damaged beyond recognition." One of her hands touched Ash's cheek, enjoying the warm tears that stained them. "Especially your Eevee. Oh, I'll have tons of fun with her before she's allowed to rest. It's good for you that you won't be around to see her agony."

"Why…" Ash muttered. Misdreavus cocked her face questioningly.

"Did you say anything Ashy?" She questioned slyly, whispering in his ear.

"Why?" Ash repeated. "Why are you so evil?" Ash's voice wavered as more tears leaked his eyes. "What do you get from hurting innocents?" Leaf grinned at his tone. It was completely broken. Just as she liked.

"Because, my dear Ashy." She licked Ash's cheek. "That's what I am. I feed on people's torments and pain. It makes me stronger." Her lips pressed against Ash's cheek, kissing her captive soothingly. "That's what Mew made me to be."

"It's not your fault huh?" Ash asked. "You aren't like this due to your choice. You're forced to be like this."

"Am I?" She asked. "I enjoy being like this, after all." She pointed at Leaf. "She really loved you Ash. The moment she knew you were in the tower, she did her best to save you. Unfortunately for her, all her sacrifices were in vain."

Ash squeezed his eyes shut, refusing to spill any more tears. "Two of my favorite captors are dead within two minutes." Ash saw flashes within his eyes. "Enough chit chat, now die!"

" _I won't cut my cake until Ash arrives!" A young Cynthia whined awaiting her best's friend appearance._

" _You're so lucky Ashy boy." A small Gary Oak grumbled. "At least your parents are there for you."_

" _Hey Ashy! Enjoyed your day?" Delia questioned, picking up her toddler._

" _Ash! My boy!" Professor Oak called out with pride as Ash won his first mock battle._

" _Always fight for the good my son. Never lose yourself in this vast world." Ash's dad advised, the duo watching the sunset from the cliff overlooking Pallet Town._

" _Thanks a lot Ash! She wouldn't talk to anyone!" Sophie praised Ash, chuckling as her daughter shyly hid behind her._

" _I know you don't like accessories that much but that was the best I could think of." Leaf told Ash nervously._

" _You're so brave Ash. I wish I was like you." Ash's friend from Summer Camp commented._

 _Eevee ran away, his hat on her head. Ash chased after her, a grin on his face as the Evolution Pokémon teased him._

 _Zeus shocked Ash, waking him up. Ash got up, grumbling as Zeus and Cynthia pranked him for the umpteenth time._

 _Skylar shrieked proudly, settling on Ash's shoulder. May returned her defeated Dustox, looking at the avian with pride._

" _You'll go far." May commented to our Pallet Duo, an honest smile across her face. Ash smiled back while Cynthia tried to avoid the praise due to her shy nature._

" _If someone can cave in her cold, scarred heart, it is you." Professor Oak told him._

" _This is the Ash Professor Oak spoke so highly about?" Bill blurted._

 _Ash was harshly woken up as cold water hit his face. Ash glared at the Seadra in front of him who snorted with laughter._

 _Bulbasaur looked up at Ash with surprise, not quite understanding why Ash was acting polite. "We all mess up Bulbasaur." Ash grinned, crouching next to him and offering an Oran Berry. "Don't worry boy. You won't believe half the things I've done."_

" _One day, you'll be a mighty strong Charizard." Ash told his Charmander. "But for me, you'll always be this tiny Charmander." Charmander bit his hand playfully._

 _Viper jumped into Ash's hug, nuzzling him affectionately. That single gesture showed Ash just how much he meant for her. Ash hugged her back._

 _Lairon grunted with pride as the foe's Pokémon fainted. "Great job Lairon! You're the best!" He looked back and, despite himself, smirked. This was better than he had expected. Lairon didn't have to adjust much. In fact, Ash was the one who adjusted to his style than the other way around._

" _You've got potential." Paul grunted. "Train. You'll need the next time we meet."_

Ash opened his eyes, remembering every moment of his journey. "No." The Fake Leaf grunted. "I'm. Not. Giving. Up!" Misdreavus gasped as Ash pushed her back and turned around. "Misdreavus, mark my words. I'm going to save Leaf, the League Official, and defeat your famed Spiritomb as well. _No one can stop me_."

"Wha-what?" Misdreavus questioned, feeling tingles up her spine.

"I'm not going to let everyone who trusted or believed in me down! Try as much as you can to break my spirit down, but you'll fail." Misdreavus gritted her teeth.

"How?!" She questioned. "You were on the verge of dying! How did you recover?!"

"The entirety of Lavender Town believes in me." Ash stated. "My parents believe in me. My Pokémon believe in me. My friends do. My teachers do. My rivals do." Ash closed the distance between him and Misdreavus, glaring at her. "How will I collapse if I have so many supporters?"

Misdreavus stumbled back, fear crawling in her bones. "You- you won't succeed!" She threatened. Ash turned to the downed Leaf.

"Leaf, I'm coming to save you. Hold tight." Ash turned to Misdreavus. "This ends, now." The illusion around him cracked and shattered, taking with it all the silence and fear.

Ash opened his eyes, rolling on his side and getting up. He gasped as his wrist ached with pain. Ash looked at the scared Misdreavus. "No! This can't be!" She wasn't looking at Ash.

Ash followed her line of sight, and saw her looking at Mystic. The only thing was, Mystic wasn't herself anymore.

"Mystic." Ash let out a stunned gasp. "You've evolved."

Xxx

Mystic opened her eyes weakly, feeling her entire body ache. She felt as if a truck had rolled over her and a dozen Giga Drains had drained her.

' _Ash!'_ Mystic gasped, picking her head up, the very motion requiring her best efforts. _'That Misdreavus.'_ She saw Viper drop down, unconscious. _'Viper! I need to help her.'_ She tried to struggle to her feet but fell back down.

Her eyes threatened to close at the energy exerted. _'Thank Mew.'_ She gasped when she saw the Grass Snake be protected by Bulbasaur. Mystic saw herself completely open and struggled, pulling herself besides a grave.

She collapsed back down, lifelessly looking over the battle. Bulbasaur was getting overwhelmed by the many ghosts. She wanted to help him but her body protested.

' _No!'_ She exclaimed when she saw Skylar fall and Misdreavus damage her wings. _'Skylar! No!'_ Mystic struggled to get up. Her struggles ceased when she saw Anpu's Froslass float over and engage Misdreavus.

Her eyes moved to the other parts of the floor. Bulbasaur was getting overwhelmed and pushed back while Viper laid down, unconscious and limp.

She wanted to get up and help Bulbasaur. Mystic sighed, feeling sad. Misdreavus was her fight but she was unable to take it down. The others all were pretty much done with their fights.

Misdreavus alone took down her and Skylar without much help. That was one strong ghost. Not to mention her constant attacks on Ash.

Ash! Mystic saw Froslass get affected by Confuse Ray and Misdreavus change into Fake Leaf. _'No!'_ She yelled, seeing her hurt the rookie.Despite her best efforts, her voice came out only in squeaks.

She saw Leaf trying to pull Ash into a Confuse Ray and whimpered. She couldn't allow that! She swore to protect Ash ever since the Hidden Village Incident! She cannot let this happen.

Mystic felt a strange energy rise inside her. It swirled inside her, growing stronger. All these days, the Eevee had been feeling it rise inside her but not come out.

Mystic looked at Ash and the transformed Leaf, seeing Ash fall into yet another vision. Mystic didn't know how the Screech Pokémon pulled that off, but all she knew was that had to change.

She looked around, taking in the battle. Bulbasaur had fallen as well. The two Grass Types were unconscious, vulnerable to whatever the ghosts might try to do with them.

Froslass had banged her head against a wall, knocking her unconscious as well. Gengar was still locked in combat against the Sableye, tired and hurt but not giving in.

Frillish was assisting him the best he could, but the male blue jellyfish himself was stuck between ghosts. Mystic knew the timing was the best right now. If she didn't do it right now, they would lose!

She clenched her teeth, closing her eyes and focusing. All her memories with Ash, both pleasant and unpleasant, flashed in the darkness.

" _She doesn't want to be with you!" Ash shouted, standing up and facing her poacher._

" _When I grow up, I'll be a trainer too. Just like Dad." Ash told the Evolution Pokémon, the two lying in the grass of the Oak Ranch._

" _Eevee. I choose you!" Ash smiled, crouching in front of her._

" _Great job girl!" Ash told her as she trained with Pichu._

" _We did it! Our first badge!" Ash cheered._

" _Eevee, do you think what happened in the hidden village was because of me?" Ash asked his starter, a defeated look on his face._

" _We're not giving up Paul!" Ash declared._

Mystic felt the energy surge, enveloping her entire body. She won't let the ghosts harm Ash or their team anymore! Her entire body glowed and began to morph.

Her tail grew shorter but longer, splitting into two ends at the end. The bushy fur she was used to shortened, her features changing into something more sharper. Mystic felt her very essence changing as something protruded from her forehead. The Eevee's legs grew longer, holding her higher as she turned into something more sleek and elegant.

She saw the fake Leaf stumble back, fear evident on her face. Ash got up, staring at her with confidence restored. Mystic saw Misdreavus look at her and her scared expression intensified.

"No! This can't be!" Mystic gave her an intense glare as her form finished morphing. Ash followed her eyesight and his eyes went on Mystic. His jaw dropped as his starter finished evolving, right in front of him.

The light surrounding her vanished. Mystic felt all her exhaustion and pain hide away, the adrenaline from evolution running through her veins.

Mystic could feel a lot of things having changed inside her. For one, she felt her immunity to Ghost Type attacks disappear. Her senses had been highlighted, and she had gained an extra one as well.

The red gem on her forehead shone, exerting its power. Mystic knew she had a lot of things to explore with her new body but right now, her silver eyes and purple sclera were dead set on the tormenter of her trainer, Misdreavus.

With all her energy restored and boosted, Mystic knew she had one last task to do.

' _This. Ends. Now.'_ The Espeon declared.

Xxx

 **Hope you enjoyed the scares! I've got a few chapters prewritten but am focusing on editing the previous chapters more. Updates would continue to be slow until I reach Chapter 21 in editing. Sorry for that.**

 **On a brighter note, do tell me if I did justice to the hype I built in the previous chapter! It was a high bar, one I tried my best to touch. Please read and review! You don't know the feeling I get when I see the notification of a review!**

 **Do check the revamped Chapter 1! Will appreciate if you review them too and give some constructive criticism for the betterment of Conqueror!**

 **With that said, I'm signing off. Bye for now!**

 **Response to Reviews:**

 _ **UltimateCCC**_ **: I know. I've fixed it in Chapter 1 as well.**

 _ **Joda-Eragonsson**_ **: We all buy things we think we'll have use for but sometimes they don't help at the time we predict. We use them later on in life. Same here.**

 _ **Cobb:**_ **It's in his blood XD**

 _ **Joda-Eragonsson:**_ **You reached from chapter 2 to 21 so soon? You a reading addict like me?**

 _ **UltimateCCC**_ **: Thanks.**

 _ **Guest:**_ **Things haven't even begun yet…**

 _ **True Master:**_ **Soon, very soon…**

 _ **Nebulae Venandi:**_ **Muito obrigado!**


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